Authors: Marilyn Lee
The warm smile that spread across his face when he spotted Darbi chased away her lingering unease. She waved.
“Hi, honey.”
“Hi, Clay. I was wondering where you'd disappeared.”
“Cami and I took a short walk.” He glanced at the other woman. “All right?”
She nodded and smiled at Darbi. “Forgive me for stealing him, but Clay and I are old friends.”
Darbi smiled and slipped her hand through Clay's arm. Old friend or not, if the woman disappeared with Clay again, she'd better be prepared to be snatched bald. “Well, I have him back now and that's all that matters.”
The woman averted her dark gaze, nodded, and stepped around Darbi.
Clay squeezed her hand. “It's nearly three. We've been here for three hours. I think it's safe to leave everything in Damien's hands. Let's go home.”
“What about Amber?”
“She's spending the weekend with Damien, lucky dog!” He smiled. “While I get to spend mine with you.”
She smiled. “Who’s the lucky dog?”
“Me.”
“Right answer.”
“Hey, my mama didn't raise no idiots! Let's go say our goodbyes and get out of here.”
Later that night, as they lay in a naked tangle of arms and legs in the rec room in the doublewide lounger, with soft jazz playing on the stereo, she asked him about Cami.
He kissed her shoulder. “What about her?”
She looked up at him. “How long were you two lovers?”
He tensed. “What makes you think we were lovers?”
“The way you two looked at each other. I know you were lovers, Clay. I just want to know for how long and when did it end between you?”
He sighed. “She was my first love.”
She compressed her lips and sat up, drawing out of his embrace. “Why didn't you mention her when you told me about Whoopie?”
“I knew you two would meet sooner or later and I didn't want you to misunderstand.”
“So how long did it last?”
“Why is that important?”
“Because I want to know.”
“It started when I was sixteen and she was eighteen. We went hot and heavy for about two years before we admitted we weren't in love with each other.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Clay, don't think I'm going to believe for one second that you haven't touched her in ... what? Twenty years?”
He rose from the chair and walked across the room.
She stared after him, absently noting how perfect his big, hard body was. Although they had not made love, whenever they were alone, they often wandered around in the nude. She loved gazing at his bare body and he loved to caress her breasts and ass, even when they just cuddled.
“Clay?”
He turned from the floor to ceiling double door that led to the walled patio and pool area. “Through the years we've become friends with benefits.”
“When did it end between you?”
“When I met you.”
“Did you love her?”
“I have a deep affection for her, but I was never in love with her. She is always going to be someone I care deeply about, but you are the woman I love, Darbi. Please don't make any more of my relationship with Cami than that.”
She rose and crossed the room to him. Sliding her hands down his chest and over his stomach, she kneeled in front of him. Tilting her head back, she stared up at him. “I'm okay with your past relationship with her as long as she realizes you are now mine. And if I catch her disappearing down any more wooded trails with you, I'll slap her so damn hard, she'd end up in the middle of the following week!”
“She just needed to talk.”
“About that?”
“She's in love with a man who doesn't love her.”
She tensed and stared up at him. “Who?”
“I don't know. She didn't say.”
She stroked her hands over his pubic hair. “Are you sure you're not the man she's in love with?”
“Of course I'm sure. She just needed to talk to me.”
“As long as that's all she wanted from you.” She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his pubic hair. “This is mine and I'll be damned if I'll share it or you with anyone else.”
“I'd never ask or expect that of you, Darbi.”
“Good,” she whispered, parted her lips, and outlined the length of his cock with her tongue. She kissed his balls and slowly drew his flaccid shaft between her lips and into her mouth.
“Ooh, honey.”
Cupping her free hand under his balls, she sucked him with a leisurely hunger, savoring the experience of feeling him slowly, steadily lengthening and thickening in her mouth.
When the tremors in his body signaled he was about to climax, she continue to gently fondle his balls, but drew back until a third of his cock remained between her lips.
“Oh, honey, here I come!”
She withdrew his cock and pressed it against her lips. The first jet of cum shot against her mouth. She parted her lips and pumping him, directed the next eruptions onto her tongue.
She held him by one hip and swallowed each mini explosion. When the last of his seed splashed against her tongue, she kissed his cock and rose to face him.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his lips against her neck. “I love you.”
She stroked her hands down his back. “I love you too.” She drew away to smile at him. “Now I want to go to sleep in your arms.”
He took her hand and they went to the bedroom. Half an hour later, she lay awake listening to the sound of deep, regular breathing. She slipped out of bed, pulled on one of his pajama tops, and walked to the living room. Sinking into the loveseat, she called her mother.
“Hi, Mom, I know it's late, but I needed to talk to you.”
“Darbi! This is a surprise, darling. I almost didn't answer the phone because I didn't recognize the number.”
“I ... I'm not at home, Mom. I'm with ... a friend.”
“A male friend?”
She closed her eyes briefly. Why was her mother always so perceptive? “Yes. I wanted to tell you about him.”
“I'm listening.”
She moistened her lips. “I think things are getting serious between us and I wanted you to know about him. His name is Clay Frazier and he --”
“Frazier? Isn't that the name of your company's main rival?”
She nodded. Her mother had always taken an interest in her career and they often discussed her professional options. “Yes.”
“Is that ... wise?”
“Probably not, but ... we've been seeing each other for about ... nine weeks and --”
“You're spending nights with him.”
“Yes.”
“Somehow I got the impression he was white.”
“He is. Is that a problem for you, Mom?”
“If you're spending nights with him and telling me about him, he must be very special.”
“I ... I love him, Mom.”
“How does he feel?”
She smiled. “He loves me too.”
“Then why don't you sound happier, Darbi? Is there something you're not telling me? He's not married. Is he?”
“I wouldn't knowingly sleep with a married man, Mom.”
“Then what's wrong?”
“Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to tell you about him.” She fell silent and waited for the question she dreaded.
“Will I be meeting him soon?”
“It's early days yet, Mom. I just wanted to ...” She moistened her lips, recalling all their lovemaking without a condom or birth control pills. “I ... it's early days yet.”
“If he loves you and makes you happy, Darbi, that's all that matters to me. I understand that things have changed and you might no longer share my values ...”
She sighed in relief, knowing that was as close as her mother would come to telling her she would reluctantly accept Darbi living with Clay. “It's not that, Mom, it's just that ...”
“He doesn't share them?”
“No.”
“But you love him anyway?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then ... I will do my best to not be so old-fashioned and accept things that make you happy.”
“Thanks, Mom. I know it's late, so I'll let you go. I love you.”
“I love you, Darbi.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
She closed her eyes and leaned back against the chair, praying she would not have to test her mother's new resolve.
Chapter Ten
Clay kissed her awake the next morning. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”
Smiling, she rolled from her side on to her back and opened her eyes. Dressed in a pair of sweat shorts and holding a tray, Clay sat on the bed. She sat against the headboard and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Good morning, Prince Charming.”
He kissed her cheek. “I fixed breakfast.” He caressed her thighs.
She parted them.
He reached between her legs and stroked her pussy. “Let's eat, then I want some pussy.”
“Hmmm. I should have known you had an ulterior motive for making me breakfast.”
He grinned. “What can I tell you? I can't get enough of you.”
She rewarded him with a quick kiss. Her nostrils twitched. “Something smells absolutely delicious. What did you make?”
“Lift up the warming covers and see for yourself.”
She did and caught her breath. A long, black jeweler's box was under the first cover. She picked it up and looked at him. “What is it?”
“Open it and see if you like it.”
She removed the top. Inside was a diamond tennis bracelet. “Oh, Clay! It's beautiful!”
“So are you. Turn it over.”
She turned the bracelet over. Her eyes misted as she read the inscription: I love you. Clay. She slipped her arms around his neck. “Oh, Clay! I love you too!”
He kissed her cheek, took the bracelet, and put it around her left wrist. He removed the covers from the two remaining trays revealing an omelet and lightly buttered toast. “Now, eat up.”
“You only brought one fork. Are we sharing?”
He leered at her. “You're having eggs and toast for breakfast, I'm having pussy.”
She laughed and picked up her fork. After she ate, she went into the bathroom. When she returned twenty minutes later, he crawled between her legs and ate her. Just as she was about to come, he rose above her and thrust into her.
She moaned, shuddered, raked her nails down his back, and exploded. He sucked her tongue into his mouth and fucked her hard through her climax. As she lay savoring the sweet aftershocks of pleasure, he groaned and came.
While she normally liked having him lay on top after he'd come, her breasts were sore. She touched his shoulder. “Clay? You're feeling kind of heavy.”
“I'm sorry, sweet.” He rolled off her.
She turned onto her side, he curled his body behind hers, and they fell asleep. As they showered together later, she shook her head when he wanted to suck her breasts. “Clay, don't.”
“What's the matter?”
“Nothing. They're just a little sore. They're always sore just before I get my period.”
“Is it time for your period?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. Then I guess you're not pregnant.”
“Are you sure you want me to be?”
He nodded. “Of course I’m sure. That’s not a decision I made lightly. I'm looking forward to fathering babies with you and watching your stomach grow into a sexy round ball.”
She felt a flash of guilt, but it didn't seem an appropriate time to tell him she was back on the pill. She grimaced. “My stomach is already round enough, thank you.”
“I love your stomach and when it gets rounder and sexier, there will be even more to love about it and you.”
Her eyes misted and she linked his arms around his neck. How could he say such sweet things she knew he meant and yet not want to marry her? “Last night after you fell asleep, I called my mother and told her about you.”
He tensed and lifted his head to look down at her. “And?”
“And ... she will try to be ... open minded.”
“She will? You told her I'm white?”
“Yes.”
“And that we don't need marriage to --”
“I didn't exactly tell her that.”
“Why not?”
She shrugged. “I wanted her to know about you, but I didn't want to dump a heavy load on her all at once.”
“Darbi --”
“She's not ready to hear you're not interested in marrying me, Clay.”
“On, honey, don’t make it sound as if I don’t care about you.”
“I know you love me and I know my mother. I’ll have to work my way up to leveling with her. Okay?”
He kissed her cheek. “Okay.”
* * *
“So you're Clayton's woman.”
Darbi blushed as she and Betty Johns stood side by side checking their make-up in the restaurant's rest room that night. “Yes ... but I don't know for how long.”
She watched the other woman's dark eyes widen. “What's wrong? Please don't leave him. I've never seen him so content. You're good for him.”
“I love him, but --”
“He loves you. Even if he hasn't admitted it to you, surely you must know it. I knew the moment I saw how he looked at you.”
Darbi put her blotter away and turned to face Betty. “He has told me how he feels.”
“Then what's wrong?”
“He doesn't believe in marriage and I need marriage to feel as if ... I need that final commitment of marriage.”
“Oh. Is that all?” Betty dismissed her statement with a wave of her hand. “I've known that boy since he was ...” She grimaced. “Since he was actually a boy and I am telling you he loves you. Has he told you how close we are?”
She nodded.
“Do you know how many women he's wanted me to meet in all the years I’ve known him?”
He'd said he'd never really been in love, but surely he'd thought he was a time or two. “Two or three?”
“You are the only woman he's ever gone out of his way to introduce me to, which in itself tells me how deeply he feels about you. Just give him a little time to get used to the idea that you need the commitment of marriage and I know he won't let you down.”
“You think so?”
“Of course I do.” She surprised Darbi by reaching over and hugging her. “Just give him some time and things will work out fine.”
* * *
“I thought you and Darbi were an item.”
Seated in one of the airport's lounges waiting for his flight, Clay put his drink down and frowned across the table at Damien. “We're more than an item.”
“Hmmm. Then why did you leave her to disappear with Cami at the picnic on Saturday? Where did you two go? What did you do while you were together?”