Blue Colla Make Ya Holla (54 page)

Z
ulma created two
tiny physical versions of herself. Five-year-old Amaya and two-year-old Alejandro might look like Mommy, but they have Julio’s calm demeanor. Unlike every other kid at the grocery store, Zulma’s remain quietly at the cart. I look at the kids and imagine what mine with Winston might look like.

“I’m falling hard for Winston. Tell me to stop,” I say as we walk down the bread aisle.

“Why? Is he no good?”

“No, but I might be his rebound. I don’t want my heart broken. Every day, I want him more. No, I need him more. While I’d like to believe the way we feel is real, I’m not his type.”

“Type means nothing. Men want what they want. Julio liked shy girls until me. He didn’t want a woman with a big mouth and too many opinions. He even said that on video. I saw it and he wasn’t drunk either. He meant it, but he met me and here we are.”

I grin at Zulma and her beautiful kids. “I was ready to start a family. Even if I wasn’t really in love with Sandy, we had a decent life and I wanted a baby.”

“Good thing you didn’t make a baby with Sandy. He has a really big forehead. You don’t want no big foreheaded babies, Mere. Trust me. My cousin’s daughter has a big forehead and it’s all you see. The rest of her face is smashed together to fit that giant forehead. Not cute.”

“Don’t underestimate the value of foreheads. My old neighbor has a son without much of a forehead. The poor child’s eyebrows and hairline nearly touch. Freaky.”

Zulma caresses Alejandro’s head after setting him into the cart. “I dodged a bullet with my beauties.”

“Yes, you did. I can only hope my babies are half as cute.”

“Especially after you made fun of ugly babies. I think you might have jinxed yourself.”

Shaking my head, I ignore her warning and return to Winston. “After Sandy left, I thought about selling the house and moving somewhere trendier. I wanted to embrace being single. I also considered remodeling the house and staying there. Now with Winston, I find myself imagining us buying a home together. How he’d want something closer to his family. We’ve only been dating for a few weeks and I’m already planning our retirement. It’s ridiculous.”

“No, you’re doing the opposite than with Sandy. You’re feeling things and adjusting your life to fit those feelings. With Sandy, he fit the picture of your life so you adjusted your feelings for him to fit the plan. This thing with Winston is organic and you’ve always relied on the predictable.”

“You sound like a shrink.”

“I’ve known you since we were eleven and heard you break down people’s fears and hopes a million times. You just aren’t great at figuring out your own stuff.”

“What if I give Winston everything I have and it’s not real or permanent for him?”

“Then you get hurt and deal with those feelings. Staying safe isn’t possible. Not unless you want another Sandy.”

“No. I don’t think I could tolerate someone like him after being with Winston. He’s ruined me.”

Zulma gives me a knowing grin. “He’s basically shacked up with you at this point. I like that take charge attitude. Why waste time? You’re not getting any younger.”

“No, she’s really not,” Bethany says, pushing up behind me. “Sorry, I’m late. I had to wait until the Dentist finished with a patient so I could get his grocery list.”

“Shopping for your man,” Zulma mutters, clicking her tongue. “Six months and no ring though.”

Bethany opens her mouth, remembers the children are present, and only smiles. “You always get mouthy when you have your adorable little shields nearby.”

“I’m no fool.”

Nudging my sister out of the way, I ignore her. “Last night, Winston took me to a bar where his club hangs out.”

“Did I ever tell you that Julio and I roleplay using the characters from
Sons of Anarchy
?”

Bethany opens her mouth again to say something rude then remembers the children.

“Won’t you think about the children?” I tease her.

“So what happened at the bar?” Zulma asks while Bethany sulks.

“Nothing much. They were nice. Not at all what I expected. After about an hour, we walked a block to a playground and shot hoops with a few of his friends. I haven’t done that since high school.”

“Hold onto him,” Bethany says, grabbing me. “You’re smiling a lot and doing fun stuff and waking from your Sandy induced coma. Hold onto Winston and be happy.”

“Okay. I hadn’t been sure, but since you ordered me to do something, I guess I have no choice.”

“Catty, I like that.”

Zulma sighs. “I hope you two stop messing around and get settled down for real. I have big plans for once you have families. I’ve already decided on the vacations we’ll take. Girls night out will be more fun too when it’s not just another night out.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Zulma grins. “I hate to get tough with you two, but I’ve been waiting too long. You wasted all those years with Sandy,” she says to me then looks at Bethany. “And you wasted all those years with every random guy you could find.”

“Fair enough,” Bethany mutters.

“Either you settle on the men you’re with or ditch them. You’re too old to play anymore.”

“And if we don’t follow your sage advice?” Bethany challenges.

“I’ll have to find new friends with families. I have needs, you know?”

I share Zulma’s smile while Bethany grabs a jar of pickles for the Dentist. As we finish shopping, I decide to shake off my pathological need to plan every damn aspect of my life. No more micromanaging. With Winston, I’ll just feel.

Winston

Afternoon Delight

‡

W
earing a flowered
black and pink skirt with a pink blouse and black flats, Meredith is overdressed for a work site. Stepping over the siding, Meredith smiles at me. I ignore the guys checking her out, figuring I’ll scare them later. For now, I kiss her cheek.

“Oh, can’t you kiss me in front of your friends?”

“I figured you didn’t want me getting you dirty.”

“Since I have the afternoon off, I decided I’d visit you.”

“Really,” I murmur, pulling her against me so she can feel how excited I am to see her.

I kiss her, making sure to show the guys how she’s mine and they need to look elsewhere. Meredith doesn’t care about my claim on her. She just wants more. Sucking at my tongue, she slides her hands up my ratty tee.

“You’re so hot.”

“Oh, I know it,” I murmur.

“I mean hot like overheated. Are you keeping hydrated?”

Studying Meredith, I love how concerned she is about me. If Nomie or any of my ex-girlfriends showed up in this heat, they’d complain about how
they
were hot. They’d ask if I had anything for them to drink. They wouldn’t worry about me at all. I wasn’t a kid, needing a mommy to care for him. That didn’t mean I minded having a woman who gave a shit about my wellbeing.

“I have lots of water inside. Want me to show you some of the fancy shit we’ve gotten done so far?”

Eyes hungry after our kiss, Meredith nods. I take her hand and order the guys out of the house, so they don’t do anything to embarrass me. They hurry out, taking advantage of an early lunch. Now empty, the house’s only completed room is the master bath. Once inside, I shut the door and turn to Meredith.

“Feeling wild?”

Meredith glances around then down at my crotch. “Not wild, just really…”

“Are you wet?” I whisper.

Meredith’s smile sets my body on fire. No one’s ever made me feel so powerful and brilliant. Meredith does with only a smile.

Kissing her, I tug up her skirt and caress her ass. Meredith presses her hands against me, wanting to stop and worrying someone will see. She glances around, remembers the guys are gone and the door is locked. Her hands slide up my white tee while her lips find mine again.

“Sex at work feels reckless,” she says in raspy voice.

“I must jack off twice a day since we’ve met.”

Meredith frowns at me, but I ignore her shock. I’m too busy enjoying the sweet scent of her wet pussy. She leans back against the counter as her panties drop past her ankles. I take them off and shove them into my pocket.

“Moan for me,” I say, licking at the wet flesh.

Meredith lets out a low, almost pained moan. I lift her leg over my shoulder and press my tongue deeper. Meredith doesn’t need much to make her come. I even suspect she showed up, hoping for just such a quickie.

I can barely get my cock out of my pants fast enough. Meredith giggles at my hands fumbling at the zipper of my jeans. She helps me get free then leans farther back on the sink. We both groan with relief once I enter her with one hard thrust.

“Been waiting to get back inside you since we said goodbye this morning,” I murmur, holding her hips while moving fast and hard.

Smiling, Meredith digs her nails into my arms. I move faster until she closes her eyes and her pussy clenches around my cock. She moans so loud I can’t hear myself. I feel like I come and come until my legs are ready to give out.

“You do something to me,” I whisper against her cheek.

Despite the hunger of her still clenching pussy, Meredith kisses me tenderly. “You do everything to me.”

Meredith glances down at where our bodies remain connected. She sighs as I pull my cock from her. I caress her pussy then help her stand.

“Should I bail work?” I ask.

“No, I’ll use the afternoon to shop. I want to change things at the house. Lose all that beige and add some color. While I go spend money, you flex these sexy muscles.”

“You couldn’t be a bad influence this once?” I mutter, kissing her neck as she steals her panties from my pocket.

Meredith slides her arms around my waist and smiles. “My visit wasn’t simply for sex. I missed you in a way no phone call could satisfy.”

My fingers smooth her stray hairs. She’s so damn beautiful I can’t imagine no longer having her in my life. Meredith is mine. The idea of any other man having her pisses me off until I’m ready to piss a circle around her. I wasn’t capable of realizing her worth when we were teenagers, but I’m not a kid anymore.

Meredith

Gag Gift

‡

M
y office is
in a new building filled with various medical practices. Bethany works at a pharmacy on the main floor. Her dentist boyfriend is on the second floor. Zulma is the office manager for the medical group on the third floor. Down the hall from the pharmacy is the office I share with another psychiatrist.

Lately, I’ve felt like I have the place to myself. Our receptionist is on maternity leave while Dr. Stigler only works part-time since the birth of her second son. Everyone kept saying I was next until Sandy dumped me.

My brain isn’t on babies during today’s long lunch break. My focus is on privacy as I close the shades and lock the doors. Once I’m certain no one can bother me, I kick off my heels and remove my slacks. Now wearing only my underwear, I call Winston and hope he’s alone.

“You ready to try again?” he asks tenderly, but I hear the humor in his voice.

“I can’t relax when I’m at work.”

We tried this routine yesterday, but I was left frustrated until I arrived home and he helped me find relief.

“You can do whatever you want,” he says as I try to get comfortable in my office. “Mind over matter. Isn’t that something they taught you in shrink school?”

“Now you’re irritating me,” I grumble. “I’m in my underwear. Now what?”

“Tell me about your panties.”

“They’re pink.”

“Slide your finger over the slit. Are you wet?”

“No.”

Winston laughs quietly. “Do you have the vibrator?”

“Yeah, but…”

“No, buts. You’re not ready for anal.”

I roll my eyes while he laughs. “Take off your bra and tell me if your nipples are hard.”

I pop open the front of the pink bra and let it fall off my shoulders.

“They’re not hard.”

“Are you thinking about me?”

“Yeah.”

“What are you thinking?” he asks in a low, rough voice. “Are you thinking about me in the office with you?”

“I am now.”