One Toe Out (A Complicated Love Story) (15 page)

“
I’m sorry about what happened. I never would’ve thought this would have happened.”

“
Neither of us did.” She waited expectedly for him to continue. “I guess our situation was a little too good to be true,” she said then laughed bitterly.

“
Well, you know the saying…”

“
Yeah. So I just heard on the news that the NFL banned any type of discrimination to the players based on their sexual orientation. So do you think you’ll come out now?”

J.T. shrugged and Simone saw the struggle on his face. “I don’t know. It’s not that easy, it’ll be like I’ll be doing a one hundred eighty degree change. And just because the NFL says they disapprove of it, it doesn’t mean that all my teammates and the people I play against will respect me,” he said while imaging the blitzing he’d get on the field and the possible change in attitude from his friends. “Besides discrimination against race in the workplace is illegal but yet it still happens, and don’t get me started on sexual harassment.”

“
But those victims go to court and sue.”

“
Yeah, they have a hard time proving their case and a lot of time they’re ostracized and their lives are never the same.”

“
Why do I get the feeling that you’re not ready to come out yet?” she asked giving him a wry grin.

“
Because you’re right, I’m not ready yet.”

“
Well, it’s a big decision and you’re right, you have to do it when you want to,” Simone said reasonably. “Nobody wants to be pushed out of the closet.”

“
Yeah, maybe it’s better to do it one toe at a time,” J.T. joked. “Christian is here, he wants to apologize to you.”

Kirk who had been sitting quietly observing them, shook his head. “No!”

“
That’s sweet, but he doesn’t have to.”

“
He knows that, but he wants to put all this behind him and he’s sorry for his behavior.”

“
So you two are staying together?”

“
Yeah,” J.T. sheepishly admitted.

“
You love him, huh?”

“
Yeah, probably just as much as you love Kirk.”

“
Cool. But how are you guys gonna make it work? Is he going to live with you?”

“
No, he’s back in his apartment. And he’ll stay over occasionally.”

“
Will you re-marry?”

“
No, unless it’s Christian.”

“
I am happy for you,” Simone said.

“
Same for you.” He called to Christian who was standing outside the door.

A contrite Christian strolled in. He gasped at seeing Simone in the bed. He stood next to J.T. “I just wanted you to know how sorry I am, my behavior was inexcusable and I’m very sorry.”

“
Thanks Christian I appreciate it.”

“
I guess we better get going,” J.T. said. He bent down and kissed Simone on the forehead. “Let me know if you need anything and I really mean it,” he whispered in her ear.

“
I know you do. Love you,” she said and she did, even after everything that happened. She loved him like a brother.

Just as J.T. and Christian were leaving the room, Lillian was returning with a tray of food.

She waited until J.T. and Christian were down the hall before she announced: “Okay guys, who’s ready to plan a wedding?”

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Barrett McKenzie laughed loudly; it started in her heart and erupted into a blast of playfulness. Sierra, her best friend of fifteen years, grinned at her. “You’re too crazy girl, keep pulling stunts like that and those people are going to fire you. That’s for real.” Barrett sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. She and Sierra were sharing their weekly lunch at their favorite restaurant.

Sierra grinned. “I know. I’ll try to behave myself. So what are you getting Tavis for his birthday?” she asked.

Barrett shrugged while taking a bite from her orange glazed salmon. “I don’t know. I’ve been going crazy trying to think of something.” And she had been, for the last three months, as soon as the reminder popped up on her BlackBerry. Her husband had every gadget created and was a bigger clothes whore than she. So those gifts were out. She had a gift in mind, but it was so unusual, so different, and so unlike anything she had given him, that she had skirted away from it…until now.

“
What about a spa day?”

“
Nope, did that for the last two years in a row.”

“
Okay. What about a trip?”

“
I’ve already sent him to Vegas, Miami and the Dominican Republic.” As a successful lawyer, she was able to be generous with her husband.

“
Well, ain’t he the lucky man,” Sierra drawled.

“
I kinda have an idea,” Barrett sheepishly admitted.

Sierra ran her finger through a dollop of butter. “What?” she asked before licking the butter off and she nearly choked when she heard her friend’s response.

Barrett glanced around to ensure that no one was listening, fortunately everyone within hearing distance was engrossed in conversation or focused on their food. “I was thinking,” Barrett repeated softly, “about Tavis and me having a threesome.”

“
What the—” Sierra vigorously shook her head. “No Barrett, don’t do that. Why would you do something so stupid?”

“
He’s been hinting around.”

Sierra placed her hands, palms down, on the table and glared at her long-time friend. “So! Let him hint all he wants, hell let him take an ad out in the newspaper, don’t do it!”

Barrett took a deep breath, while Sierra wasn’t entirely straitlaced and proper, she did at one time carry on a three-year affair with a married man, she could be quite prissy when the mood hit her. “But I kinda want to,” she whispered.

“
Oh lawd!” Sienna yelled and Barrett covered her face with her hands and slumped in her seat. She hadn’t planned on telling Sierra her plans, it just slipped out and now that it did, she regretted it.

“
Can you not shout? I don’t need everybody knowing my business,” Barrett hissed, as she straightened up and removed her hands from her face.

“
Why do you want to invite a woman—it is a woman isn’t it?” she asked and Barrett confirmed that it was. “Why would you invite an outsider into your marriage?”

“
We’ve been married for ten years. Things are getting stale.”

“
Shit! Don’t be talking about your marriage as though it was a loaf of bread. Have a baby! That should freshen up things.”

Barrett sighed. “I don’t want a baby. We’re happy just the way we are.” A baby took a lot of energy, something she didn’t want to exert right now. Although for the past few years, Tavis had been begging her to start a family. “We’re just bored in the bedroom, everything else is fine.”

“
And you really think that an extra pussy will magically make all your problems go away?”

“
No, not at all,” Barrett lied. She did hope that it would make Tavis appreciate her more and see her as adventurous once he got the threesome out of his system. And she was a little curious about it as well. “It’ll all be for fun, once it’s over, it’s over, we won’t see her again.”

“
You’re crazy you know that? Just crazy!”

“
I’m just trying to keep everything fresh, can’t you understand?”

“
Nope,” Sierra said with a finality that let Barrett know that no matter what she said, Sierra wasn’t going to change her mind.

Barrett tightened her lips. “So it’s pretty hot out today, huh?”

Hours later Barrett was sitting at her desk with her laptop open, surfing the net. She didn’t have a clue on how to find a third person for her planned threesome. Time was running out, Tavis’ birthday was next week.

She glanced out through her glass door, everyone was busy. They had a big case coming up and it was going to trial on Monday and most of the staff was assigned to it, and so was she, she was the lead attorney, but she had more pressing matters to worry about, like finding a lover.

“
How the hell am I going to find a lady for our threesome? It’s not like I can ask any of my friends,” she muttered, thinking back to her conversation with Sierra. “That had been a mistake.” Sierra had sent her an e-mail expounding the evils of a ménage a trois. After skimming it, she had chuckled to herself then erased it, she and Tavis weren’t going to have any of those problems.

Moments later she sighed and focused on her work and didn’t pull away until her shoulders were burning. Normally she’d shrug it off and work right through it, but today she needed a break. She grabbed her Coach bag from her desk drawer and made her way to the cafeteria. After getting a cup of coffee and a cupcake, the snack of champions, she was back at her desk, eating and working.

Barrett was bent over her desk, poring over law books, when there was a knock on her door. She looked up to find LaTonya, the mail clerk, holding a certified letter.

“
Hey Ms. McKenzie can you sign this? The receptionist isn’t at her desk.”

“
Sure.” Barrett took the pen and signed the form. “Just leave it on her desk,” she instructed.

“
Sure will. Thanks.”

Barrett watched LaTonya as she sauntered to the office door, her work uniform of a navy blue polo and khakis, did little to contain her curves. LaTonya had a reputation around the firm as a partyer and a slut, not necessarily in that order. Barrett heard that she had slept with most of the male lawyers and a few of the females.
I bet she would know where I could find a willing partner.
Barrett called to her.

LaTonya turned around, a frown furrowing her brow as she braced herself to be reprimanded, she wasn’t sure for what, but LaTonya learned that people always found something to complain about. “Yes Ms. McKenzie?”

Barrett suddenly froze, unsure of how to phrase her question without LaTonya figuring out that it was for her. “Um, I hate to bother you…but I have an unusual question.”

The frown eased from LaTonya’s face and she relaxed, she wasn’t in trouble; at least not with Ms. McKenzie.

Barrett continued, carefully picking her words, “I have a friend who wants to spice up her marriage and she would like a special gift for her husband.”

LaTonya patiently listened, sensing that a solution wasn’t needed just yet, there was more to come, she was correct.

Barrett’s gaze slid sideways then returned to LaTonya before resuming, “She would like to give him a lady.”

LaTonya’s eyes widened. “You mean like a prostitute?”

“
No! At least I don’t think so,” Barrett said a little flustered. “She wants a lady who would be willing to have a threesome with them. They don’t need a prostitute for that do they?”

LaTonya grinned brightly. “Okay, I see what you’re saying. Cool, I didn’t know you had freaks for friends Ms. McKenzie.”

Barrett bristled. “They aren’t freaks, they’re just looking for something different. A little fun,” she said defensively.

“
Oh, okay sorry,” LaTonya said confused by Barrett’s tone. She was only making an observation on how she saw the situation.

“
You’re fine,” Barrett said, embarrassed by her attitude. “I’m sorry, they’re good people. Anyway,” she resumed, while smiling tightly, “do you have any suggestions?”

“
Sure, that’s easy. They can try girlsliketohavefun.com, or 3scompany.com or post an ad on brandislist.com. I kinda like brandislist, because it’s free. You have to pay for the other two.” Barrett raised her eyebrows at LaTonya’s knowledge. She shrugged in response. “Hey, don’t judge, I ain’t a saint. I like to have fun.”

“
I’m not judging, really I’m not. Hey thanks for the information I really appreciate it.”

“
No problem. I hope your
friends
find what they are looking for,” LaTonya said then sauntered out the door.

Barrett sipped her wine and set it aside. Since Tavis was working late she was taking advantage of her free time and was looking for their threesome partner. Instead of creating an ad, she decided to review existing postings and she began second guessing her decision. “These people sure are bold and some are just plain old nasty,” she decided. After clicking on a dozen links at brandislist.com she had seen so many close-ups of women crotches and breasts that she was nauseated.

Twenty minutes later a profile caught her eye. It was the picture that made her pause. The lady had her wavy hair blowing behind her, like a blanket of black silk, with a white sheet covering her breasts, the shot was demure and sexy at the same time. It was the eyes that drew her in, they were staring boldly at the camera, but Barrett could easily imagine her casting them shyly away.

Her eyes lingered on the picture for a moment before moving to the profile. Barrett skimmed her bio, she was twenty-five, with a bachelor’s degree, five eight and bi-lingual, with her being fluent in Spanish.

“
She’s it,” Barrett breathed, unable to take her eyes off the picture.

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