Indulgence (142 page)

We’re headed out for some lunch when I yell out, “Stop! Turn
around!”

“What? Why?”

“I want to go to that little shop over there. Please?” I
point to a yellow- and orange-striped awning.

“Okay. Looks cute. I’ve never been in there before.” Misty
wheels into the parking lot and I practically jump out of the car.

It’s the dress in the window that catches my eye, and I can’t
wait to try it on. First thing I do, out of habit, is look at the price tag,
and I can’t believe it – it’s eighty-five dollars, which is really a good
price. I put it on, step out of the dressing room, and Misty gives a long, low
whistle. The clerk stops what she’s doing and turns to say, “Oh, that’s
gorgeous on you!”

With a deep plunging V-neck front and back, the bodice is
criss-crossed and all ruched in a dove gray. The skirt is sleek and fitted and
comes to just below my knees. All I need is a pair of black heeled sandals and
I’ll look elegant. “Here. Try on this jewelry with it,” the clerk says and
fastens the necklace around my neck.

I look in the mirror and gasp. Standing there looking back
at me is a woman I almost don’t recognize. She’s thin, but her bustline is full
and her hips are curvy. Her long hair is glossy and healthy-looking, and her
skin is rosy and clear, not to mention her shining blue eyes. My eyes tear up
and everything is blurry. I’m surprised when Misty comes over and puts an arm around
my shoulders. “You okay?”

“Yeah. It’s just that I used to look so awful, so run-down
and tired and raggedy. I didn’t know I could look this good. I mean, I’m no
beauty, but I don’t look so bad.” I’m almost crying just standing there looking
at myself.

“What do you mean, you’re no beauty? You’re lovely! Just a
doll! Now, here,” Misty says, handing me a tissue the clerk gave her, “dry your
eyes before you ruin that beautiful makeup job.” About that time her phone
rings. “Hi! Okay. Yeah, in just a few. Okay. Yeah, about thirty. Okay, babe.
See you. Love you too.” She turns to me with a huge grin. “You need to find
some sandals ASAP because we’re meeting the guys at Café Étienne and I can’t
wait to see Jaz’s face when you walk in.”

“What size, honey?” the clerk calls back to me. When I give
her a confused look, she says, “Shoes! Shoes! What size?”

“Uh, seven and a half.”

“Here. Try these.” She hands me the cutest pair of heeled
black sandals I’ve ever seen, and I put them on. Their gladiator straps make my
legs look long and lean, and I know right then that they’re the best choice.
She rings up the dress, the necklace, earrings, and bracelet set, and the
shoes, and I put them on my card. Then she and Misty set about taking all the
tags off before we leave.

Café Étienne is a tiny, fancy kind of place, and when Misty
opens the door for me to enter, I’m taken aback by the chandeliers and silky
tablecloths and beautiful, hand-rubbed wood fixtures. But what really takes me
aback is the look on Jaz’s face when he spots me. His eyes go round, his jaw
drops, and he rises from the table like a man who’s seen a ghost. I have to
stifle a laugh, and I hear Reggie say long and low, “Wow. Looks like we hit the
jackpot, my friend.” Jaz doesn’t say a word in return.

In a voice as sweet as cream I coo out, “Hey, baby. Have a
good day?”

The fog must be clearing because he stammers out, “Uh, it
was, um, it was a pretty good day. Holy fuck, it’s a lot better now. Sit down,
babe, please,” he says as he pulls out a chair for me. I sit and let him help
me scoot the chair up, then realize he’s staring at me like I’m some kind of
alien.

“Is everything all right?”

Instead of answering me, he turns to Misty. “I don’t know
how much of my money you spent on her, and I don’t care. It was worth it.
Every. Fucking. Penny.” He turns back to me. “Honey, you look incredible.”

“Don’t get too used to it,” I quip. “I’ll still turn back
into a pumpkin at midnight.”

“A beautiful pumpkin. You’re just . . . I’m just . . .
Kimmie, I just don’t know what to say.”

I grin. “Say you love me?”

He snorts. “Oh, god, girl, yeah. I love you anyway, but oh
my god.” A waiter appears and Jaz blurts out, “Oh, yeah, I guess I should order
us some wine, huh? Uh, got a good pinot gris?”

“We do. Two glasses?” Jaz looks at me and I nod. “Two
glasses of pinot gris.”

“Thanks,” Jaz manages to mumble out. “God, Kimmie, where did
you get that dress?”

“A little place called Melanie’s. Like it?”

He sneers at me. “I’d like it better on the floor.”

I snicker back. “I think we can arrange that.”

“Eat. You’ll need your strength,” Reggie laughs. I can’t
help it; I start to belly laugh, and Jaz follows suit. In seconds, Misty’s
laughing too, and when we finally get calmed down, I look into the eyes of my
beloved and sigh.

“Thank you. You didn’t have to do all of this for me,” I
gush and bat my eyes coyly.

“I didn’t.” He lets out a chuckle. “I did it for me!”

“You’re impossible!” I huff and play-slap his arm.

“Yeah, but I’m cute,” he grins back and gives me his best
little-boy charm look.

I reply, “Yes. You are,” and pinch his cheek.

“Owwww!” he fakes with a laugh.

The whole dinner is that way. We laugh and talk, and I
realize I haven’t felt this comfortable with other people around in a long,
long time. But I feel . . .

Secure. That’s it. I’m not waiting for someone to hurt me by
saying something rude or mean. I’m not expecting someone to put me down or
criticize me. The other three people at this table like and respect me, and
yes, I mean Jaz too. He loves me, but he also likes and respects me, and I feel
the same way about him. If I’d met him under other circumstances, I think we’d
still be good, good friends. He’s just a likeable person, and I enjoy spending
time with him. It’s not just about sex. It’s about companionship, and I can honestly
say I’ve never been as comfortable and relaxed with anyone else as I am with
him.

We say goodnight and drive back to the hotel, chattering and
laughing the whole time. “So what are we doing Saturday and Sunday?” he asks me
just as we’re pulling into the valet parking.

“Whatever you want to do. I’ve been going and doing the last
two days while you’ve been cooped up at the plant. We’ll do what you want.”

“I’d like to stay in bed all day,” he growls into my ear as
the valet is walking up.

“We can do that at home,” I laugh and climb out of the car.

But when we step into the room, I hear the door close and
his voice behind me snaps out, “Strip. Keep the shoes.”

I’m out of that dress in a flash, only to find that he’s
shed everything. I wait as he drapes a towel onto the sofa, sits down sans
clothing, and points to his cock. “Mount me.”

I clamber up onto the sofa on my knees and lower myself onto
his rigidness. And once again, I’m stretched to bursting and weak with the
pressure of his hardness in me. When I start to ride him, he places his hand
down low and in front of me, his fingers cupped, knuckles turned in my
direction, and with every movement I make, my clit rubs across them and I moan
out in need. Ten minutes in, I’m ready to come and working to keep it from
happening. “Are you close, Sir?”

“So close, baby girl. So close. Come whenever you’re ready
and I’ll be right there with you.”

He doesn’t need to tell me twice. In mere seconds I shudder
and my hips begin to buck, and ten seconds later, he grabs my waist, forces me
down on his cock, and grunts his climax into me. Suddenly, we’re kissing and
groping and stroking and moaning, and I’m just lost in him, in his lips and his
arms. I finally whisper into his mouth, “Jaz Givens, I love you more than I
thought it possible to love anyone.”

“I love you that much and more too, Kimmie. And this body,
girl, I swear. You’re going to fuck me to death. And I’m going to die a happy
man.”

“Good! Want some more?”

“Hell yes! You got more in that honey pot?” he laughs.

“Lots, lots more. More than you’ll ever be able to stand!” I
giggle.

“We’ll see about that!” He runs his hands under my legs,
stands with me still on his lap, and carries me to the bed, with me shrieking
and laughing all the way. Once he drops me there, he strips off his condom and
drops on all fours on the bed in front of me. “Spread ‘em, darlin’,” he snarls,
and I giggle and open my legs. Next thing I know, his face has disappeared in
my mound and I’m writhing in ecstasy. God, this guy knows how to eat pussy, yes
he does. I come with a scream, my hands wrapped in his hair and pulling for all
I’m worth, and he slides up and into me in one smooth move.

“Wait!”

His eyes shoot up in to his hairline and he barks out,
“What?”

“No condom?”

That smile of his is warm and wide. “No. No condom. We’re
together forever, so it doesn’t matter. I want you for always, Kimmie. I love
you, baby girl.”

“Oh, Jaz.” I can feel the hot tears pouring down my cheeks
and I don’t care. “I want you for always too. Just make love to me, please? I
need to feel you moving inside me.”

It’s sweet and tender and perfect, and I’m engulfed in the
joy of making love with a man who truly loves me, someone I can fully give
myself to. His hardness moves inside my softness, and then there’s that moment
when the heat and wetness of his cum fills me and I know we’re one.

We lie there in the dark as he goes soft inside me and I
look into those eyes. God, I’m so in love with this man. I can’t imagine my
life without him and, almost like he’s read my mind, he says, “I never want to
live in a world without you in it, angel.”

“I hope you never have to.”

He drops a soft little kiss on my forehead. “I hope I don’t
either.

*****

“We need to talk before I go today.” We’re sitting there
enjoying another one of those amazing breakfasts they keep bringing. Today it’s
cherry crepes with a shit-ton of real whipped cream and enough fresh fruit to
keep a monkey happy for a week. “We’re going to the club tonight for the
demonstration. Kimmie, if you’re not comfortable with this, I can . . .”

“No. I’m going to do it. I have to. I’ve got to learn it
sometime, and this is as good a time as any. I know you’re going to do
everything you can to make it successful, so I’m not worried.” I take another
bite of the crepe. Hot diggity damn, those are some fine crepes.

“Okay. If you’re sure . . . good god, these crepes are
delicious. Do you know how to make these?” he asks around a mouthful.

“No.”

“Well, then, learn. I want these again, and if you make
them, they’ll be even better.”

I just laugh. “Why, thank you for your generous but grossly
misplaced trust in my culinary skills. You’ll rue the day you said that.”

He lets out a big belly laugh. “Girl, you’re really
something! Okay, I’ve got to go. Let’s meet for a very light meal beforehand
and then we’ll head on over. I want Misty to bring you to me and then go on
with Reggie. I really want to be alone with you for a little while before we go
over there and do this. We need that connection.”

I nod in agreement. “I’ll ask her to take me to meet you
somewhere that serves soup and salad, light things like that.”

He grabs his wallet and keys. “Sounds perfect. Love you,
baby. I’ll see you this evening.” His hand is on the doorknob, but he turns and
comes back to me, then kisses me square on the lips. I’m still chewing crepe
and he says, “Ummm. You taste good!” I pinch his cheek and he yells out,
“Owwww!” again, then heads back for the door.

“And you’re cute as a button, Mr. Givens. Love you too.”

My mission today is different. I’m spending the day looking
for a gift for Jaz. It’s got to be something really cool, something I can only
get there. Misty insists on taking me to Grant’s Farm, and I finally acquiesce,
only because I want to see the Clydesdales. We’re walking around, looking at
the animals and rides, and walk down to the horse barn. The Clydesdales are out
in the pasture that day, but over to the side of the center aisle, there’s a
cart manned by a park employee and lots of people crowded around. “Wonder
what’s going on over there?” I ask Misty.

“Dunno. Hey, ‘scuse me!” she barks to another employee.
“What’s going on over there?”

“Oh, last day. We’ve got a colt to name and we’re drawing
the name at two o’clock. Everyone’s trying to get their name into the drawing
at the last minute.”

And something shoots across my mind. “I’ve got to do that,
Misty. Help me get in there.” I head toward the group, gently shouldering
people who are just gawking so I can get close to the cart. When I finally push
my way to the front, I pant out, “Can I make an entry, please?”

“I don’t have any more slips, ma’am. Just ran out. Sorry,”
the young guy says. And just as I turn to walk away, he calls out, “Wait!
There’s one on the floor. Can you reach it?”

I drop to my knees – I don’t care who sees me scrounging
around down there – and finally find it. He hands me a pen when I’m upright
again, and I blink at the form.

Name: Kimberly Hendricks

Proposed name: Jaz

In honor/memory of: Jasper Andrew Givens

Then I circle
honor
and drop the slip into the
barrel. I know it’s ridiculous – there have to be ten thousand slips in there –
but what the hell, right? You never know unless you try.

Misty and I make our way back through the crowd and out the
door. “Fingers crossed?”

I just shake my head. “Nah. I just wasted five minutes, but
you can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket.”

“Exactly! Gotta have faith,” she says with a grin.

We eat a funnel cake, something I haven’t had since I was a
kid, and then wander around the different little areas where there are animals.
There are so many kids around, and I have to smile as I think about Jeffrey and
some of the places I took him when he was little. There’s a little girl with a
patch over her eye, and I remember when he had a little classmate who had to
wear a patch for a “lazy eye,” poor little guy.