Love Don't Live Here Anymore (The Love Collection Book 3) (13 page)

Summer drove to work happier than a nympho at a swinger’s party. She had showered and gotten dressed in record time and even had a chance to stop to get bagels and donuts for the morning staff. They were all grateful for the treat and some had even complimented her on her glow. Summer beamed with satisfaction as she walked into her office and set her belongings down. While her computer booted up, she sent out a mass “good morning” text to those of her choosing. Summer thought about her early morning tryst and smiled. It was a nice session but for some reason, her body craved more. She didn’t know if it was pent up sexual frustration or just a residual effect of what had taken place just hours ago. Either way, she couldn’t help but think about the next time she would indulge.

She heard a light tap at her door and looked up in time to see Eugene trolleying into her office. He walked to the seat on the side of her desk and sat down. Summer stopped scrolling through her phone and set it on her desk.

“Good morning, Mr. Briggs,” she said with a large smile.

“Good morning, sweet pea. I missed you while you were gone.” Eugene crossed one leg over the other.

“Aw, thank you. How was your Thanksgiving?”

“It was nice. I spent it at my parents’ house in Henrietta. We had a nice day.”

“Good. Glad to hear it. What can I do you for?” Summer asked.

“Well, I came to give you a surprise.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“Well, I remember you said that you wanted to make some changes to your car and I found someone to do it for you.”

Summer’s face lit up even more, if that was even possible. She had wanted to change the grill and interior paneling and Eugene was going to make that happen.

“Oh my goodness. Really? When can I bring it and did they say how much?”

“My dear Summer, when are you going to realize that I make things happen? I don’t just talk about them. Tomorrow at nine in the morning and Jimmy said he will have it ready by noon. And for you, there is no cost.”

“Eugene, why do you always insist on doing everything for me?”

“Because I want to give you a taste of how the rest of your life would be, if you just give me a chance,” he said.

“Eugene, what am I going to do with you?” Summer asked as she sat back in her chair and shook her head. “Since you went ahead and made arrangements for my car at no cost to me, at least let me treat you to dinner tonight. And just so you know, I will
not
take no for an answer.”

Eugene gave it some thought. “If you wish,” he said. He rose from his seat and told Summer that he had two surgeries lined up today, but his day would conclude around three.

“So let’s say around six.”

Eugene agreed and Summer told him she’d see him later.

Unwilling to waste anymore time, she dove into her work. She wondered if the dead were able to see the unsavory things she’d been doing. She wondered if AJ and, God forbid, her family, could see her having sex. Someone had told her that their vision was selective but she wasn’t too sure of how true that was. Without allowing such a thought to weigh too heavily on her mind, Summer allowed her brain to drift to her friends.

After leaving an administrator’s meeting, she reached her office and sent a text to Larita and Moet. She told them that she’d made plans with Eugene for later but she wanted to get with them and hang out. Both said they were down and planned to meet at ten. Moet said it had been so long since she’d been out and wanted to go someplace where they could listen to music and sip cocktails.  

Summer went home to change for her night out. When she entered her house, she instantly picked up on how chilly it was. She turned the heat on and made sure the programmable thermostat was set to warm the place up. After showering, she decided that she wanted to put on something that would be appropriate for both dinner with Eugene and a night out with the ladies. She settled on a pair of skinny jeans, a peasant style blouse and some round-toed shoes to match. She called Eugene to see if he wanted her to pick him up or just meet her at the restaurant. The past two times she’d called him, his phone kept going to voicemail. The second time, she decided to leave a message. “Hey. It’s me. Just trying to finalize plans. Call me.” Right when she was getting ready to end the call, her line beeped and she saw that it was Eugene.

“Hey, Summer, there’s a slight change in plans. My heat isn’t working and I thought it was just the pilot. I tried relighting it, but that didn’t seem to help. Unfortunately, I had to call a heating company and they told me they would be here within the next three hours but couldn’t give me an exact time. I’m really sorry, sweet pea.”

Summer wasn’t disappointed at all. “It’s okay. We can just reschedule,” she recommended.

“Well, I was hoping we could still hang out for a few. Maybe we can order some take out,” Eugene suggested. “Please,” he added when he didn’t hear Summer jump at the thought.

“Yeah, I guess we can do that,” she finally said.

Eugene told her about this Italian restaurant that wasn’t too far from her place. He would call and place the order so all she had to do was pick it up.

“And you better not pay for it!” Summer stated seriously.

“You know me so well.”

When Summer entered his home, she wasn’t shocked that it was clean but she was surprised by how much attention he seemed to pay to the decoration details. She presumed he had hired an interior designer because no man she knew was capable of putting such a masterpiece together. She removed her shoes and Eugene gave her a brand new pair of slipper socks to place onto her feet and his robe to shield her from the chill in the air. He showed her around and then told her to make herself at home. Prior to ending the tour back at the living room, he had her select a bottle of wine from his vast collection. No expert, she simply told him that she wanted something sweet and he took care of the rest.

Surprisingly, Summer enjoyed being at his place. He had placed a movie into the blue ray player and the two of them sat, laughing heartily at one of Eugene’s favorite flicks,
All About the Benjamins
.

“That was good. I’ve never seen that movie before.”

“Stop. You never saw
All About the Benjamins
? I can’t believe this.” Eugene half-laughed.

“Don’t laugh at me. I’m serious. I’m not really a movie kind of girl. When I want something to do, I’ll pick up a book,” Summer admitted and Eugene nodded. He saw Summer winding her neck and asked if she was okay. “Oh yeah.I’m fine. I was just getting the crooks out.”

“Let me help you with that.”

Summer started to turn her back so he could give her one of his famous feel-good massages but he suggested she lie on the chaise lounge instead. Summer did as directed because she knew Eugene gave the best massages. Back in Dallas, she and her sister used to go to the spa often. But since she’d been in Atlanta, she hadn’t enjoyed such luxuries. Remembering how good it felt to get a full body massage, Summer welcomed the idea. She spread out on the lounge face down and got as relaxed as she could. Eugene started from her neck and methodically worked his hands on and around that area. He moved them slowly up and down her spine and paid close attention to her shoulders and lower back. Using his thumbs, he gave Summer a deep tissue massage from the bottom of her neck to the crease in the small of her back. A sensuous moan escaped her lips. She had always enjoyed Eugene’s hands on her body. Even though she wouldn’t admit it then, the mere touch of his hands on her bare skin worked her insides tremendously. Summer didn’t stop him from rubbing below her waistline. The lower he got, the more she enjoyed it. When his hands graced her backside, her butt subtly humped the chair.

Turning from her stomach to her back, she allowed her gaze to hold Eugene’s. He had waited so patiently and been so supportive to her that if she didn’t make love to him, she would feel bad. Surely, that wasn’t a reason to have sex with someone but deep inside, Summer wanted to see if he lived up to the hype, not to mention she was still eager to satisfy a sexual urge that wasn’t handled during her morning tryst with Vincent.

Eugene lowered his head but kept his eyes on Summer. She licked her lips, giving him the confirmation he needed to proceed.

When his lips connected with the ones between her thighs, Summer allowed her body to do the talking. He licked and sucked on her love box until her love muscle swelled and the results trickled down her thigh. Even while he was deeply inside her, he kissed her eyelids when she hid her pupils, licked her neck during missionary, and massaged her inner thigh while she rode him. He was truly a romantic and knew how to please a woman. For the next hour and a half, they embarked on a love-making session that yielded two orgasms and floods of her love juices flowing onto his bed.

After her breathing returned to normal, Summer asked for a washcloth to freshen up. Eugene watched lustfully and lovingly as Summer climbed out of bed and headed into his master bathroom. She took a quick but refreshing shower and got dressed. When she finished, she texted her friends to let them know she would be ready in a half hour. Larita texted back, saying she would drive and agreed to pick each of them up at their homes.

Summer kissed Eugene and complimented him on his love making skills. Eugene walked her to the door and watched until she got into her car. After such a great evening, his lack of action turned her off. Had it been Vincent, he would have walked her to the car and held the door open for her. She shook the thought and waved goodbye. Summer turned on the radio as she jammed her way home and mentally prepared for a night out with her girls.

The music in the club seemed to have an abnormally high level of bass. The weed they had smoked in the car was having an effect on Moet. Summer watched and noticed that her body was swaying. Moet told them it felt like her head was pounding and her heart was going to jump out of her chest. Summer looked at her and told Larita to grab Moet a water from the bar and a mixed drink for her.

“Moet, girl, you okay?”

“Hell no. My palms are sweaty, my vision is fuzzy, and I feel like everyone can see my heart beating.” 

Larita returned in no time, opened the water and handed it to Moet. She gave Summer her drink and they headed toward an empty table. Summer sipped her cocktail and looked around the club. The place was about two thousand square feet, with a wraparound bar in the middle of the room and another decent-sized bar in the VIP area. The crowd wasn’t too thick but it was still early. It was just after midnight and in about an hour, the place would look like a concert hall. Summer could tell that Moet’s high was coming down because she got up to order her first alcoholic beverage.

“This is bullshit. I don’t even have a buzz from that second drink. This shit better do something to me or I’mma cuss that bitch out,” Larita spat. She had ordered the first round and Summer the second. Now after purchasing the third, Larita was disappointed in the potency of the drinks.

“They know how black people act up when they get drunk. They trying to keep the mood light, so the vibe can stay right,” Summer joked.

Moet came walking back from the bar, sipping her drink. “I hope the DJ gets better as the night goes on.”

“Word,” said Summer. “I don’t do this reggae shit.”

“You bugging, girl. Island music is the shit,” Larita said. She finished the last of her drink and took note of the thickening crowd. “All right, putas, I’m going to smoke the rest of this clip. Y’all coming?”

Moet shook her head feverishly. “Nah, I ain’t messing with that crap.”

“I’ll take a few more pulls. I feel niiice,” Summer said, imitating the rapper Fabolous.

“Tambien, vamos, mami,” Larita said as she led the way outside. She liked walking in front of Summer. Although Summer didn’t give off any vibes or signs that she was bi-curious, Larita knew that she looked at her ass whenever she could. She wasn’t going to go as far as trying to make a pass at her without knowing she was okay with it, but she did hint at how she was attracted to her on a regular basis.

When they got outside, Larita stepped to the side of the building, near the parking lot entrance. That way they could see who was coming and going. Larita passed the lit Dutch to Summer and watched as she inhaled. A car passed them on the way out of the parking lot, going extremely slow. The driver rolled the window all the way down and called out to Summer and Larita.

“Hello, sweet thangs,” he said.

Summer snickered as she exhaled the leftover smoke. The passenger sat up in his seat to get a good look at who had his man’s attention.

“Oh shit. Stop the car!” Braxdon said. He hopped out of the passenger seat and walked toward Summer.

As soon as Summer spotted him, she threw the lit Dutch on the ground and quickly blew the rest of the smoke out of her mouth. She hadn’t seen him since their little spat in front of her place. She felt like she wasn’t wrong and refused to talk to him until he apologized.

“Puta de mierda. Throwing my shit like that. He not ya damn daddy,” Larita hissed.

Summer knew that, but getting caught smoking by someone she’d preached to regularly was a little embarrassing. She knew Braxdon wasn’t going to let that one go.

“Don’t tell me the good Reverend Hughes is smoking the good ol’ herb,” Braxdon joked.

“No!” Summer smirked but her red and droopy eyes said otherwise. She stood still as he leaned into her and whispered softly in her left ear.

“You ain’t got to lie to me! You missed me? Because I damn sure missed you.” His breath and spittle tickled her inner ear and caused her to giggle. Braxdon looked over at Larita as she continued to pull on her weed. He gave her the once over and looked back at Summer. “What you doing out?”

“Hanging with my girls. What you doing out?” she asked him.

“I rode with my man to see what the place was looking like and we were actually about to bounce until he spotted you.”

“Well, you can get back into the car, ’cause I ain’t got no words for you.”

“C’mon, Miss Lady. I said I’m sorry and I miss you!”

“Nah, you said you miss me not—”

“And I’m sorry! I had no right to flip like that. My feelings was just a little hurt. You forgive me?” he asked. He stood at least five inches taller than Summer, so his frame towered hers as he tried to get back into her good graces.

“Apology accepted. Now go ahead with your boy. Wasn’t y’all about to leave?”

“That was before I saw you. Now that I see you here, that means I’m about to tell him to park the car and we about to join y’all,” Braxdon said.

“Oh really?”

“Yes, really. Let me take care of something and I’ll meet you inside. Take this and order me a shot of Henny and a Heineken. Get something for you and your home girl too,” Braxdon told her as he handed her a fifty and walked back to the car with his boy.

Summer stood near the entrance and watched as Braxdon and his friend were searched by security. Once he was cleared, she handed him his drink and told him she was going back to their table. He followed her while his man went to get a drink at the bar. Summer spotted Moet sitting at the table with a scowl on her face but before she could say anything, Larita spoke to her first.

“What’s up, Moet?” she asked.

“Look at this motherfucker,” Moet said, pointing across the room toward a crowd of people.

Had they not known what Kareem looked like, they wouldn’t have known who Moet was talking about. Kareem was in the mix of a bunch of rowdy, scantily clad women, wearing flashing headbands and buttons that read “Bachelorette Party.” Moet, Summer, and Larita looked on as he positioned himself behind one of the girls and licked her on the side of her face. He grinded his pelvis into her backside suggestively, as if he didn’t have a woman at home.

Moet, unable to take it anymore, walked over to him and got into his face. Initially, he seemed shocked but that quickly turned to anger as he released the girl and got in Moet’s face. Summer and Larita could tell things were getting heated because the veins in Kareem’s neck began to bulge and his voice was projecting by the minute. When they got up on them, Kareem looked at the two of them and started to say something smart but instead grinned.

“Oh, this must be Reem’s lucky day. I got one bitch in my face and two on my nuts. Won’t you bitches get down on your knees and one of you suck my dick while the other two lick my balls.”

“Adios mios, por favor. It won’t take three of us to take on your little pickle and two cherry tomatoes. I can devour that on my own. Pero, small shit ain’t my thing. I’d snip your balls off with a nail clipper and then feed them to the dogs in my neighborhood, you fucking mutt,” Larita spat.

Larita’s comments must have stung. Kareem pushed Moet to the side as he took an aggressive step toward Summer and Larita. Summer produced a switchblade from her right side just as Larita spit out a straight razor that was hidden in her mouth.

“I’m Boricua, baby, so you know I’m nice with the blade,” she said. 

Shocked, Summer looked at Larita and Larita glanced at Summer in surprise. Kareem was uncertain and Moet was flabbergasted. Before anyone had a moment to respond, security was up on the four of them. Summer and Larita quickly concealed their weapons as the guards told Kareem to go one way and the ladies to go another. As they were heading back toward their table, Braxdon was walking toward them, with security close by.

“Whoa, Drew, what’s up, man? These my peoples,” he told him.

Drew relaxed and stopped following the women. He told Braxdon what had taken place and Braxdon’s nostrils flared. He knew about Kareem and his womanizing ways. He had heard that he beat and demeaned every woman he dealt with and the fact that Summer had come into contact with him had him heated. Braxdon walked with the ladies over to the table to make sure Summer was good.

“Yeah, I’m fine. He is such a fucking asshole.” Summer told him what happened.

“Fuck that lame-ass nigga,” he said. He knew Summer despised the n-word but he was speaking in the moment and she didn’t try to correct him.

“Do you want to leave?” Summer asked Moet.

“No! Fuck that. I’m staying right here. And fuck him too,” Moet spat.

Summer saw Braxdon smile and he asked them what they were drinking. She could tell he was just glad that she didn’t have to leave with her girls. He purchased a round of drinks for everyone, including his friend, and the five of them sat, drinking and chatting as if what had just taken place never happened.

The club had gotten packed within a matter of minutes, and the vibe was right. Larita went onto the dance floor and moved her hips to all the Caribbean and Latin music the DJ played. When he brought it back to America, she joined Moet and Summer on the dance floor as they rocked to the sounds of Keyshia Coles’s “Enough of No Love,” followed by some Faith Evans and Mary J.

Most of the ladies in attendance that night were on the dance floor, moving their bodies accordingly. Summer was having a good time. It was the first time she had been out to an Atlanta club and was really feeling it. Rick Ross’s “I’mma Boss” started playing and the fellas got amped. Arms were raised and heads began to bop as Rick rapped the lyrics that so many of them were familiar with.

As the night wound down, the DJ signaled that the club was coming to a close by playing slow jams instead of music that kept the people energized and hyped. “Refill” by Elle Varner came on and Summer found her way to Braxdon. He was talking to his man and a few other guys, when Summer walked up on him seductively and began winding in front of him. Braxdon saw his boys lusting over her, so he quickly ended the conversation and gave them dap, letting them know they were excused.

Braxdon’s friend was feeling himself because Moet and Larita had decided to double team him in good fun, sandwiching him in the middle as they danced up on him. Summer wiggled and gyrated on Braxdon and he held her hips while she did so. He tried like hell to stop the bulge from rising in his pants but he had lost the battle. He leaned in and whispered in Summer’s ear. “You know you rolling with me, right?”

“No, I’m not. I came with my girls and I plan to leave with them too,” Summer said.

“Well, I don’t know how much time you spent on that plan, but it just backfired. Let’s go,” Braxdon said.

              He led the way, with his friend right behind him. Summer was next to him and Moet and Larita were close behind his friend. Braxdon asked where they were parked and Moet pointed toward the parking lot. The five of them headed that way and as they were walking by a group of guys, Kareem stepped out and grabbed Moet by the arm. “Where the fuck you think you going?”

Moet snatched her arm away and kept walking. Kareem didn’t let her get two steps before he grabbed her by the back of the neck. “Get the hell off me!” she yelled.

“Yo, Reem, chill out, man,” one of his friends said. But Kareem ignored him.

Moet cried for release but Kareem only gripped tighter. “Where you going, huh? You about to fuck one of them?” he barked.

Summer and Larita looked at one another and couldn’t believe this clown was still acting a fool. Summer stepped out of Braxdon’s embrace and went to see about her friend.

“Back up, bitch. Y’all bitches always in the midst of something. Fuck outta here,” Kareem snapped.

“No, fuck you, you sorry-ass bastard. You’re so fucking whack that I can’t even see how my girl fucks with your sloppy, broke ass,” Summer said. “Won’t you get your own shit so you can stop taking hers.” Summer was on a roll. Kareem was trying to put Moet down by calling her names in public, so Summer was going to call his card in the same manner. “You’re a fucking lame. Let my friend go before shit get real out here.”

She didn’t really want things to get crazy because she knew how that could go but there was no way in hell she was going to sit back and watch as Kareem mistreated her friend without stepping in to help.

Braxdon stepped up. “Listen, man, I ain’t trying to get in your business, but my main concern is her.” Braxdon pointed to Summer. “Rightfully so, she’s trying to look out for her friend and because she got involved, now I’m involved. I know you’re feeling some kind of way right now but this isn’t the way or place to handle it. Just let her go so we can be on our way and you and home girl can work this out another time, without a crowd of people in your business and especially when you’re sober.”

Summer was pleasantly surprised by Braxdon’s diplomatic approach. She didn’t want him to get rowdy, but she knew he was a hood boy and had a reputation to uphold. And since Braxdon had approached Kareem on a respectful note, Kareem couldn’t help but relax. “Let’s go. You riding with me,” he said to Moet.

“Actually, I’m not riding in
my
car. Larita will drop me off,” Moet said. She walked off without saying another word and Larita and Summer did the same.