Free Fridays (14 page)

“Don't answer now, please,” Natasha said. She jumped up and rushed to his side.

She smelled real good. When she touched him, he flinched slightly. Riley didn't trust himself to touch her, so he stood as still as possible. He feared any sudden move might be misunderstood and he didn't want to send any mixed messages.

“Take some time to think it through. I won't see anyone else. I'll wait for you. You can have all of this. I know you want it. I know you want me,” she said. Natasha took his hand and moved it to her backside. Riley didn't resist.

“I'm married,” Riley said.

“Yes. I get that. But you should let me put this pussy on you. I wanna fuck you like I own you.”

He wanted to crack a smile when she started using the lyrics from that song. No, he needed to stay as far away as possible from Natasha.

“I'm not available, Nat, not even part time. Listen, I'm out. Be good,” Riley said and he eased out of Bill's front door.

Natasha was disappointed, but still determined.

B
efore Linda even opened her mouth, Leela knew to expect something smart or sarcastic from her mother. The sour expression on her face was always a good indicator of what one could expect with Linda.

“I know this ain't what you wanna hear, but I'ma put it to you like this. I know it probably took a lot for you to share that with me, and this might hurt your feelings, but Samantha is absolutely right!”

Leela couldn't believe the words that tumbled from her mother's lips.

“I'll take it a few steps further. I say that man is trying to throw you a life line. If he came talking about let's take a break, it's because he's contemplating doing something,” Linda said.

“Riley's not cheating on me. He wouldn't do that,” Leela said with fleeting confidence.

Linda looked at her side-eyed as if to say, lie to yourself if you want. “Regardless of whether he is, or not, he is asking for help. Now it's up to you to decide what you're going to do.”

“I don't get why I have to do anything at all.”

“Chile, I wish I had the answer, but you already know, marriage is not my strong suit. What does your heart tell you to do?”

Leela contemplated that question for a bit before she answered. “Well, there's a part of me that wouldn't mind having a little freedom
myself,” she said. “Not to be with someone else or anything like that,” Leela quickly added.

After Riley stood by her side through her grandfather's move and helped her select a home healthcare worker for Big Mama, Leela wanted to surprise him.

She'd been giving it careful thought and her mind was made up. But she wanted to break the news in a dramatic way. Her evening of romance started with a stop at Frederick's of Hollywood for some raunchy lingerie. She ordered and picked up takeout from some of his favorite restaurants and put together the perfect playlist for the evening.

Hours after everything was in place, Leela looked around at the man-cave that she had transformed into a virtual love den. Red and yellow rose petals were scattered on the floor, chairs, and tables. Candlelight flickered all over, and songs with sexually explicit lyrics were on repeat. Now, all she had to do was sit back and wait for Riley to come home so she could surprise him.

As she waited, she thought of all the ways she could share her news with him. She decided getting straight to the point wasn't the best option in this case because she still had to convince herself that this was the best thing for their future.

It didn't take long for sounds of the front door opening. The noise broke Leela's thoughts and she quickly adjusted herself on the chair.

“Leela, Babe! I'm home!” Riley yelled moments later.

She fought the urge to call out to him; she needed him to stumble onto the scene she had created. It didn't take long since she was careful to make sure every other light in the house had been turned off.

“Oh, wow!”

Leela lay stretched across one of the chairs with her legs gapped open.

Riley stepped inside and looked around like he was in an amusement park. He brought his focus back to his wife and loosened his necktie.

“Hungry?” Leela asked as seductively as she could. She waved her arm as if to show off the spread she had laid out.

Her husband's eyes grew wide. “Daaayum. You did that, Babe?!” Riley said, as he looked around his space. “Hot wings, cold beer, loaded fries, nachos? Damn!”

Leela beamed with pride.

“And, girl! You gon' get it for sure! What's that you got on over there?”

There was no point in being shy with a pair of crotchless panties, a matching garter belt, and a push-up bra with tassels that dangled from the nipples. But Leela felt a slight hint of discomfort now that she was the focus of Riley's full attention.

“Get up so I can see what you working with over there,” he joked.

Leela told herself this was not the time to be shy. “You surprised, Babe?” she asked as she eased herself up from the chair.

“You damn right I am! You did good, Baby,” he said.

As sexily as possible, she sashayed closer to her husband. He had already made himself at home near the display of food and drinks.

“Dance for me?” he asked, with his mouth full.

“Hoooney,” Leela whined.

She never felt comfortable beneath his stare, especially when he wanted her to dance. Leela could dance enough to blend in, but she never felt she could hold her own in the spotlight.

“What? I'm your husband. You put on these sexy clothes and act like you don't want to do what's gonna come natural.”

“Yeah, but dancing?”

“Aw, forget it.”

Leela felt a bit slighted when he turned his full focus to the food.

“It's okay, Babe. It's just that sometimes a man wants to see his wife do something different, unexpected,” he said.

Mentally, Leela coaxed herself into ignoring the disappointment in his voice. But it was Big Mama's voice telling her to follow her gut that popped into her mind.

Riley turned to her and asked, “You not hungry?”

“No, this is all for you. Go ahead, eat, because I have another surprise for you.”

Riley's eyebrows rose and he stopped chewing. He looked around the room and turned back to his wife.

“You mean there's more?”

Leela nodded slowly.

Riley began to adjust his body where he sat. He rubbed his hands together and got comfortable.

“What more can a man ask for? Shiiit. Good food, good drink, and his beautiful wife decked out? I don't know how much better it could get.”

“Well,” Leela approached in a sexy manner. “What if I told you that I've decided we should spice things up a bit?”

Riley jerked his head in her direction. When his eyes connected with hers, Leela saw confusion in them. “Spice things up how, exactly?” Riley asked.

“I've been thinking, and I, um…I want us to give it a try,” Leela stammered.

“Give what a try, Babe?” Riley asked. The excitement had all but drained from his voice.

“You know. What we talked about.”

Riley's face was a blanket of confusion. He reached for some fries and stuffed them into his mouth. He shrugged and picked up his beer, took a swig, then reached for another wing.

Leela stopped him and touched his hand. When he looked up
at her, she said, “Ry. I think we should try your plan. Once a month, Free Fridays, just like you wanted.”

A blank stare gazed back at her.

Leela picked up the remote and pressed a few buttons. As her husband sat in a state of disbelief, music flooded the room and she began to sway her hips.

She struggled to pay close attention to the music and the beat, but stumbled a little. It was hard for her to keep her balance on the six-inch stilettos.

When Riley's eyes focused on her, Leela tried to keep it simple. She spread her legs, gyrated her hips and shook her behind. Then she stooped down and brought her hands up the length of her body.

She had no idea what the hell she was doing, but before long, her husband moved close.

Riley played with the tassels that dangled from the front of her bra. Leela tried to focus on her strained movements. But when he palmed her bare behind and pulled her close, she lost all thoughts of rhythm.

“You look so sexy,” Riley said.

By now, all Leela could do was sway her hips. He had guided her closer to his face and tugged at the bra. When he pulled it down to reveal her stiffened nipples, Leela lost all focus.

Riley used his free hand to undo his belt and unzip his jeans. He pulled her closer. With one nipple in his mouth, he guided her thigh and urged her to straddle him.

“Oh, shiiiit!”

Riley pulled her down onto his lap where his stiff erection entered her.

Leela closed her eyes and grabbed her husband's shoulders.

“Whose is this?” he moaned. He moved his hips and thrust into her. “Whose is this?”

His question was throwing her off.

Leela clung to him and tried to focus on the pleasure she wanted.

Then suddenly, Riley went limp, and just as quickly as it had started, it was over.

This could not be happening. Leela couldn't believe he had just gone limp while they were in the throes of passion. Did this mean she no longer turned him on? And if she didn't, who did?

•  •  •

The following Thursday evening, Riley had taken so many questions from Bill he wanted to kick himself. He should've kept his mouth shut. He was still somewhat confused by his wife's sudden change of heart. Although he didn't want to question her decision, in the back of his mind, he wondered whether she had someone on her own bucket list.

“So you had no idea whatsoever that she was still thinking about it?” Bill asked.

“Caught completely off guard,” Riley said.

“Daayyum, who you banging first? I'm sure Natasha will be hyped and willing,” Bill said.

Riley shook his head. “Oh, hell nah, we're not telling her a damn thing. On the real, Dawg. I still don't really believe Leela agreed to this and besides, it ain't like I'm trying to find another wife.”

“Yeah, I feel you there. If we don't know anything else about Natasha, we know she wants that last name.”

Thoughts of his wife and her possible desire to be with another man seemed to haunt Riley since the moment she announced her decision. Before, when Riley thought Free Fridays was the best way to save his marriage, he only wanted to give himself a break if he needed one, and of course, prove a point. But he didn't take the time to think about whether Leela would take into consideration that she would be given the same opportunity.

“Dawg! What you doin'? Daydreaming over there?” Bill snapped his fingers a few times.

Riley shook the thoughts from his head. “Oh, my bad. I'm good. I'm good. What's up?” he asked. He couldn't let Bill know that he had been having second thoughts about the whole thing. Bill would surely think it was a punk move, especially after the way Riley had gone on when they first talked about it.

“I asked when are y'all gonna start? When do y'all get a pass to bang whoever you want?” Bill chuckled. “Man, if Samantha would've agreed to an arrangement like that, who knows, we might still be together today!” Bill shrugged easily.

Something about the jokes and innuendos from Bill, made Riley that much more uneasy. He was still trying to make sense of it all.

“Ah. Next month. And, it's not really like that. We agreed to see how it goes. Then after a few months, we'll reevaluate if we have to,” Riley said.

Bill winked at him. “Oh, okay. Not really like that, huh?”

Riley silently scolded himself. He needed to man up! This was what he wanted. He wanted them both to have some freedom in the marriage. It wasn't that he had a list of other women he wanted to screw, but there were things he fantasized about. There were things his wife simply wouldn't do, or if she did them, it was a big, blown-out production.

“So, what's up, Dawg? We going out or what?” Bill asked.

That's what Riley needed. Sitting around Bill's apartment talking about this free pass was only making matters worse. He needed to be out. Once he started looking at other women, he knew for sure he'd fall right in line with the idea of Free Fridays.

Besides, it wasn't like he was planning to cheat on Leela. He just didn't want them to end up like her grandparents or even their best friends.

Riley told himself that when two people loved each other and
would do anything to make their marriage work, that was no cause for alarm or concern.

Hell, they were living in new and trying times; temptation was everywhere. If he slipped up here and there, that shouldn't be the end of their life together.

“Hey, Man, you okay?” Bill asked.

“Yeah, Dawg, I'm waiting on you. We leaving or what?”

“You'd think you'd be grinning from ear to ear since your wife agreed to let you get some ass on the side, but nah, ever since you been here, you've been zoning in and out acting like a lost chick,” Bill joked.

“C'mon, Dawg, before I change my mind,” Riley threatened.

They continued to take jabs at each other all the way to the car. But despite the distraction, Riley couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to undergo a drastic change, and deep down, he knew he was nowhere near prepared.

N
early thirty days after the initial agreement, the very first last Friday of the month was less than twelve hours away. As her husband's light snores filled the air, Leela was as nervous as she could be.

She had made plans with Samantha and was actually looking forward to what the first Free Friday would hold. Hours earlier, she and Riley tried to hash out additional rules over a romantic dinner.