Playing For Keeps (18 page)

“Whatever you need, baby!”

“I need you.”

Cilla smiled. “You already have me, sweetheart.”

Malcolm kissed her again, then started the car's engine.

The ride to T W Alexander Drive and the twenty-four-hour Waffle House was short and sweet. Their laughter continued as they enjoyed an early morning meal of scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes, smothered and diced, extra bacon, and large glasses of orange juice. It didn't stop until they found themselves back at Cilla's home, naked in her bed atop the new silk sheets she'd bought online. And even then they continued to tease each other, giggling like schoolkids.

Sleep came almost as soon they laid their heads down, Cilla drifting off first and Malcolm soon after. Outside the sun had just begun its slow ascent. Thick gray clouds filled the early morning sky, the billows voluminous and heavy with precipitation. A storm was brewing, something dark and ugly coming in their direction. As Malcolm's eyes blinked open once and then again, he smiled, tightening the hold he had on the woman in his arms. As his lids closed for the last time, he smiled, not caring at all if it rained. In that moment, nestled lovingly against each other, neither he nor Cilla had a care in the world.

 

 

When Cilla opened her eyes, the dark sky outside felt more like late evening than mid-afternoon. She'd wakened earlier, just long enough to call in sick to work, planning to spend the day in bed doing absolutely nothing but catering to every one of Malcolm's whims and fantasies and one or two of her own. Falling back to sleep for another few hours had been just enough to revitalize her energy.

Malcolm slumbered peacefully, slipping into and out of sleep as he rode one dream after another. The warmth of Cilla's naked body was holding him hostage in the bed and he had no desire to ever move from that spot. Side by side they shifted back and forth against each other easily. At one point he heard Cilla whisper his name, mumbling incoherently, and he imagined that he'd mumbled back. Unable to decipher what was being said he slipped back to sleep, savoring the sensation of her hands caressing his body.

Cilla leaned up on one elbow, eyeing him from head to toe. He was sporting a healthy length of morning wood, his erection protruding like a steel rod toward the ceiling. The sheets were tangled at his feet as he lay with one foot hanging off the side of the mattress, the other bent against his calve. His breathing was static, just an exhale away from being a snore. Morning stubble blessed his chin and his dark complexion had a hint of sheen from the warmth in the room. Watching him sleep had quickly become one of her favorite things to do.

She drew her fingertips against his skin, teasing the flesh against his arms, across his torso, down the length of his abdomen. She circled her pinkie in the well of his belly button and smiled as he shifted ever so slightly. She trailed her hand farther down until the length between his legs twitched and jumped. She cupped her hand over him, enjoying the feel of his hardness in her hands as her fingernails lightly grazed his balls. Her smile widened as Malcolm responded by pushing his hips upward against her palm.

Cilla's eyes suddenly widened, a lightbulb moment shooting a current of electricity across her spine. She reached behind her, pulling open the drawer of her nightstand. She pulled a vibrator from inside and engaged it. The sudden hum pulled Malcolm from a light sleep and he jumped, turning his head toward her abruptly. Before he could say anything she placed the vibrator against his manhood, rolling it along his shaft to the underside of its engorged head. She let the pulsating machine tease the hardened muscle as she began to stroke him with her other hand.

The sensations sweeping through him were overwhelming. Malcolm could feel his orgasm rising with a vengeance, ready to erupt. He moaned, spreading his legs farther apart as she teased and taunted him, jacking him slowly, then faster, then slowly again.

Cilla was completely enamored of his anatomy, marveling at the perfect symmetry of his manhood. His erection was brick hard, the length and width of him full and solid. She loved the strength and power and the mystery of his maleness. She resisted the urge to put her mouth and lips against him, instead wanting to watch as she pleasured him with her hands. She continued to explore him, her nails gently brushing the dark skin as she stroked him easily.

“Oh, God, that feels good,” Malcolm moaned as his hips gently thrust upward. And then Cilla trailed the vibrator lower, pressing it between his butt cheeks.

Malcolm jumped as he grabbed her hand and rolled her quick and fast onto her back, his body hovering above hers. His eyes were wide as he shook his head. “Hey, what are you doing?” he chirped, his voice pitched higher than normal.

Cilla laughed. “No anal action?”

“That's not funny, woman!”

“Your expression is hilarious. What? Nobody ever play with your stuff back there?”

“No. Not now and not ever!”

Malcolm eased a hand between her legs, trailing his thick fingers over her clit. “Anyone ever play with your stuff back there?”

She gasped, his touch unexpected. She clamped her legs tightly around his hand. Lifting her eyes to his, she gave him a teasing look. Malcolm felt himself harden even more, the blood surging back in his erection.

“Can I play with your stuff back there?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave as he trailed his fingers back in the other direction.

Cilla laughed again. “Oh, you want to do me but I can't do you?”

Malcolm didn't answer, instead kissing her neck, gently nibbling and sucking on her skin. Cilla moaned softly as he pulled just the hint of her skin between his lips before releasing it and repeating the motion mere millimeters away. She purred softly as he shifted his body closer to hers. With apt precision he slowly explored her shoulders and her collarbone, his lips leading where his tongue followed. Crawling up onto his knees he continued to assault her skin, relishing the soft, salty sweetness as his hands roamed over her taut stomach and up to her breasts.

He suddenly lifted his head to stare down at her. “Promise me you will never wear clothes to bed with me.”

Cilla met the intense look he was giving her.

“Promise me,” he repeated. “I want to always be able to get to you like this.”

She nodded as he tweaked a nipple between his thumb and forefinger then dropped his mouth back to her chest. He cupped the lush fullness with both hands, letting the nipples slide between his fingers. Her areolae were dark, the nipples looking like chocolate kisses against mocha pudding. His hands alternated between lightly brushing over them and gripping and pinching them. Then he flicked her nipple with his tongue and she gasped, the movement unexpected. She pressed her hand against his head, gently trying to pull him closer to her.

Removing his hands from her breasts Malcolm suddenly rolled her onto her stomach. The gesture surprised her as he slipped an arm around her waist and lifted her up onto her knees. He pressed a palm against the center of her back and pushed her torso forward. The motion rewarded him with a bird's-eye view of her succulent globes, the round of her ass like two full moons. The muscles rippled as she clenched her backside tightly, a wave of nervous energy sweeping through her.

He trailed his hands up and down her legs, lightly caressing her skin as he explored every muscle and sinew. He pressed his lips to the exposed skin, lightly biting the flesh of one curve and then the other. His hand ventured back between the intersection of her legs as he gently traced her slit with his middle finger. She pushed her sex toward his hand, her moistness coating his fingertips. Cilla moaned lightly, luxuriating in the sensations he was eliciting from her body.

As Malcolm continued a slow, leisurely exploration of her body, Cilla trembled with excitement. His touch was heated, his fingers and hands igniting a raging flame through her. He suddenly eased her over, rolling her back so that she lay flat on the bed. She inhaled swiftly, holding a hot breath.

The first taste was teasing as he dipped his tongue into her navel. Cilla squirmed beneath him. He kissed a slow path toward her most private spot, his lips moist and hot, gliding like silk against her skin. He lifted one leg and then the other over his shoulders, his hands beneath her buttocks as he pulled her toward him. Her unique scent teased his nostrils. She had a neatly manicured landing strip and he'd teased her about it, offering to landscape her pubic bush himself. He trailed his fingers through the slick curls, his touch like the gentlest breeze. Cilla blew a low breath past her thin lips.

Malcolm kissed her ankles and goose bumps blossomed all over her legs. He kissed and licked and trailed his fingers and tongue against her bare skin. He blew warm breath along her inner leg, leaving damp kisses across her knees, trailing his mouth and tongue over her inner thighs. As he drew closer to where her legs met they spread wider.

Warm breath blew like a gentle breeze across her sweet spot. Cilla shivered and the goose bumps that had receded from her skin reappeared. She'd lain still as he'd explored her legs but when he finally pressed his mouth against her sweet spot, she jerked like she had been electrocuted. Malcolm lifted his eyes to hers. She'd risen up on her elbows to stare down at him, wide-eyed excitement on her face. He trailed his tongue across her slit, savoring the taste of her.

He gently sucked the intimate lips into his mouth. He licked her up and down, intentionally avoiding touching her clit, wanting to wait till just the right moment to increase her pleasure. He licked her again, a little more urgently, and she pushed her hips forward, thrusting herself against his mouth. He slowly inserted his tongue through the door of her private place, probing as far as he could. He suddenly felt her hand on the back of his head, pulling him tightly to her. He began to lick in earnest, exploring every inch of her.

Cilla's breathing was shallow, excitement building as she drew close to her orgasm. And then he trailed his tongue across her clit, rolling the hardened bud between his lips. Malcolm used his lips, tongue, and teeth to stimulate the sensitive button and Cilla bucked hard, grinding against his face. Her climax came abruptly. In an instant she went from grinding wildly against his mouth to every muscle in her body tensed, her body planking as every nerve ending fired heat. She tried to pull herself from him, but Malcolm held her tight, his mouth still clamped over her as his tongue lavished lick after lick against her.

Satisfaction radiated across her face, her hair in a wild halo around her head. Her skin glistened from the perspiration that beaded her brow. Her entire body felt like Jell-O and she found herself unable to lift even a finger to move. Malcolm licked his way back up her body, kissing his way past her belly button, pausing to kiss each nipple and nuzzle her neck one more time. Cilla was panting, still catching her breath when she realized his cock was still erect, tapping against her sweet spot.

Cilla spread her legs even more to welcome him in. He slowly rubbed the tip of his organ up and down her glistening slit. She encouraged him with her eyes as he pressed himself past her engorged lips, their melding the sweetest intrusion. Malcolm leaned into her, slowly pushing himself inside of her. Her juices dripped over his cock as he thrust himself deeply into her. Cilla threw back her head, her eyes closed, pleasure dancing across her expression.

He held still, watching her face as her body adjusted to his size. He pushed slowly forward, then drew back and pushed forward again. He held her hips, steadying himself as he began to thrust earnestly. Cilla met him stroke for stroke as they fell into an easy rhythm with each other. Their pace increased. The sound of skin slapping skin, grunts and whimpers slipping past parted lips, breathing thick and raspy filled the air.

Malcolm drove into her and moved a hand to her chest, rubbing her nipples until they were hard and puckered. She was hot and tight and as he danced inside her he drew his thumb across her profile, slipping it past her lips into her mouth. Cilla began sucking it, as he plowed harder and harder. She sucked one finger then another into her mouth until she was practically fellating his entire hand. Her muscles suddenly tightened around his dick as she locked her muscular legs around his waist, holding him tight. A scream caught in her throat as her second orgasm hit hard. Her inner lining convulsed over and over again and then his own climax wracked his body. The moment was explosive, each screaming the other's name.

Muscles tensed as they rode wave after wave of sheer pleasure. Neither could imagine anything being better, marveling how intensely each intimate encounter consumed them. Every coherent thought was lost, both blinded by the intoxicating sensations. It was gratification unlike anything either had ever experienced. Holding tight to each other they slid easily into the afterglow. Malcolm cupped her buttocks, his body still lost deep inside hers. He held her close, as he whispered softly.

“Next time,” he said, squeezing each cheek as he trailed his fingers between them.

Cilla giggled softly, her eyes closing as she felt the first realm of sleep beginning to take hold. She nodded. “Promises, promises,” she said.

He chuckled with her. “Oh yeah,” he said, slumber pulling him hard. “Oh, yeah!”

Chapter Fifteen

Malcolm's flight to Baltimore had been in the air for some fifteen minutes and he was still grinning like a Cheshire cat. His time with Cilla had gone by faster than either would have liked. Before he knew it he'd had to get out of her bed and back to work. It had been two short days and most of it they'd spent wrapped around each other. When they weren't making love, they were making plans for their future, still uncertain about the details of their wedding.

Checking in on the girls had been easy, the twins too distracted by all their stuff to have even missed him. Checking in on his mother had been something else. The matriarch had actually scolded him and as he thought back on it he couldn't help but smile. Although he was used to his mother's puritan standards, her old-fashioned morality still came at the most inopportune times. For a brief moment he'd thought about reminding her that he was a grown man who paid his own bills, and hers, too, but he'd bit back the words. Her being concerned didn't warrant his disrespect even if he did think it wasn't any of her business whose bed he slept in at night. He blew a low sigh as he thought about his beloved mother. He and Cilla were going to have to marry soon if there was going to be any peace in their home.

Leaving her had actually been one of the most difficult things for him to do. He'd bypassed his usual morning run to dance between her legs instead, his body craving hers. And then he'd wanted to linger there as if he had nothing else to do. The memory pulled his smile wider.

As he'd risen from the bed Cilla had narrowed her gaze, eyeing him seductively. There'd been the sweetest pout pulling at her mouth.

“Stay,” Cilla had said, leaning up on her elbow.

He'd laughed as he shook his head. “I can't and you can't either. You have to go to work too.”

Cilla had sighed, her eyes rolling as she threw her body back against the mattress. “Don't remind me,” she'd whined softly.

“I need to get ready,” he'd said, smiling down on her. “Care to join me?” He held out a hand, gesturing for her to take the lead into the bathroom.

Rising, Cilla had given him a slight curtsy then had wiggled seductively past him. Malcolm had followed quickly behind her. Inside the tiled bathroom Cilla turned on the water, waiting as it warmed. When the first rise of steam began to fill the room she stepped into the shower. Malcolm followed her, closing the shower doors behind them.

Standing in the dry end of the shower he watched as she turned to face him, leaning back in the hot water with her eyes closed, her naked body like a vision to his lustful eyes. Water cascaded over her head and face, down across her skin. As she swept her hand through her hair, drawing the thick strands down her back, his manhood had hardened, surprising him. He'd been in his teens the last time he could get erection after erection with ease.

Cilla had opened her eyes to look at him, allowing her gaze to drift downward. Her gaze was appreciative, her smile yearning. She lifted her eyes slowly back to his, crooking her finger in a
come hither
gesture. With his own seductive stare Malcolm had complied, joining her under the stream of hot water as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her deeply, warm water dripping like rain over them both.

With no further invitation needed he'd pushed her back against the tile of the shower wall. His left hand slipped down to the back of her upper thigh, pulling her leg upward. Cilla instinctively wrapped it around him, drawing him closer. They stood at the perfect angle for him to enter her warm channel one more time.

In no time at all he was buried deep inside of her. As he began to stroke in and out, he lifted her up by her ass, moving her to wrap both of her legs around him. Using the wall to hold her up he took her as if he were on a mission, his speed and aggressiveness a pleasant surprise. Amazement danced in Cilla's eyes. Minutes passed and despite the intensity of his previous orgasms Malcolm had felt another eruption rising with a vengeance. He stroked her harder and faster, over and over again. Neither of them lasted long, their coupling explosive. The intensity of his climax sent Malcolm to his knees, fighting to keep them both from falling. Her body shuddering, Cilla cried out, biting her bottom lip. She had clung to him and he'd held her, the shower's spray beating down against their flesh. Everything between them had felt like heaven.

All of Malcolm's memories were sweet. One incredible moment after another. Life with Cilla was more than he could have ever anticipated and with every day they shared together he wanted ten more. Even in their few moments of disagreement he felt good about the two of them together. He'd hit the jackpot and he wasn't willing to let the prize go.

As the plane landed Malcolm shook the fog from his head. Taking a deep breath he made a concerted effort to focus. He was so love-struck that it was like he was some pimply-faced teenager and not a man who'd lived a lifetime. A man who had loved hard and had lost love once before. He straightened his shoulders and cracked his neck, twisting his head from one side to the other. Cilla would be there at the end of the week when he flew back. She'd be waiting, her love for him as intense as his own. He trusted that. Until then he had business that needed to be handled.

Maxine met him at the door with her exuberant smile and his requisite cup of coffee. Despite the bright smile on her face she looked weary, as if the weight of the world was bearing down on her shoulders. He didn't need to ask her what was wrong, already knowing who had put that worry in her eyes. “She's out of control,” Maxine said after they'd gotten past the small talk. “I had to go downtown and ask for a restraining order against my own daughter. It just doesn't make any sense to me.”

Malcolm shook his head, just as baffled as his former mother-in-law. “I don't understand what's gotten into her.”

“Them locking up that no-good boyfriend of hers just sent her right off the deep end.”

Malcolm's own good mood had taken a nosedive. “I'm sorry you have to go through this, Miss Maxine.”

She shrugged, her narrow shoulders jutting upward. She drifted off into thought, her eyes glazing. That moment of quiet was almost haunting before she spoke again.

“You always have such high hopes for your children. From the moment they draw their first breath we start planning their futures and dreaming big dreams for them. We hope and pray that as they grow older our dreams will become their dreams.

“I lost all my boys to these streets and just when I thought she was on the right track, these damn streets came back to claim Shanell, too.” She'd been staring out the window at the streets below and turned to meet Malcolm's eye. “Don't you fail Cleo and Claudia the way I failed my children. Do whatever you have to do to keep them from this madness,” she said, before shifting her back to stare out the window.

Malcolm moved to her side, pressing a large hand against her shoulder. “You didn't fail them, Miss Maxine. You did everything you were supposed to do and more. There's no one around who'd ever say you weren't a good mother. You sacrificed everything you had for Shanell and her brothers. What happened to them they did to themselves. Their bad decisions and poor choices took them from here. You didn't have anything to do with their failings.”

Miss Maxine blew a heavy sigh. Everything in her head told her Malcolm was right. Everything in her heart wasn't quite so sure. She nodded, forcing that bright smile back onto her face.

“The girls are very excited about you getting married,” she said, changing the subject. “And your mama is just beside herself. Claudette really likes this young woman.”

Malcolm smiled back. “Cilla's very special. She makes me incredibly happy.”

“I hope I get to meet her soon.”

“You will. I was hoping she could have come with me on this trip but she had to work.” His eyes suddenly widened, his brows shifting upward. “Hey, maybe you can come down to North Carolina this weekend? The girls would love to see you and it'll be a great chance for us all to spend some quality time together.”

Maxine nodded. “I'd like that. I'd like that a lot.”

“Good, because you and I are still family and it's important to me that you like Cilla.”

“I'm sure I'm going to love her.”

Malcolm moved back to his desk. “We really need to talk about the new office in North Carolina. I'm hoping you'll think about moving and come help me run things from there.”

“Are you thinking about closing this office?”

He shook his head. “No, ma'am. We have more than enough business that it only makes good business sense to keep them both up and running.”

Miss Maxine proffered her agreement. After reviewing his schedule and sliding a half dozen checks across the desktop for him to sign she headed toward the door. She came to an abrupt stop, her hand on the doorknob. Turning back to face him she met Malcolm's stare.

“What's wrong?” he questioned.

She blew another heavy sigh. “Watch your back, Malcolm. My daughter's not herself and she's blaming you for her all her troubles. I tried to talk some sense into her but that was like talking to a brick wall. Those drugs have her all messed up and I'm afraid of what she might do.”

Malcolm gave her a slight smile. “Don't you worry about me. And don't you worry about Shanell. She did her worst when she put Cleo in harm's way. I won't let that ever happen again. You can trust that.”

With one last nod Miss Maxine exited the room, leaving Malcolm to his own thoughts. Staring after her Malcolm couldn't miss the heaviness that bore back down on her posture. Despite his assurances she was still burdened with worry. And suddenly, so was he.

 

 

Cilla missed Malcolm something fierce. They'd spoken a few times since he'd gone to Baltimore and hearing his voice had her wishing he was back home by her side. Mama Claudette didn't miss the expression that crossed Cilla's face as she disconnected Malcolm's call. The matriarch laughed heartily.

“You two are funny to me,” she said with a deep cackle.

Cilla laughed with her. “Are we that bad?”

“You're in love. You're worse than bad.”

“I do love your son. He means the world to me.”

Mama Claudette nodded. “He feels the same way about you.”

Cilla smiled. She had welcomed the opportunity to spend time with Malcolm's mother and his daughters without him. It was important to her that they build a relationship aside from the bond she and Malcolm shared. She knew that to do that meant them sharing time and space together that had nothing at all to do with the man they all loved.

This day was her time with her future mother-in-law. She'd spent the previous evening with the twins. Picking the girls up from school had been an experience, Cilla thought, reflecting back to the previous day. Both girls had been excited about her coming. There'd been rolling jokes about her having to wait with the other parents in the kiss-and-go pickup lane. After a trip to the public library to finish off their homework, they'd gone for an early dinner at Fat Daddy's, then had walked the stores of Crabtree Valley Mall.

Earthbound Trading Company had been Claudia's favorite store. Spencer's had been Cleo's. One purple rock and a Bob Marley T-shirt later and the girls had been over-the-moon happy. Cilla's on-sale finds at Belk's had her on cloud nine as well. By the time they'd finished testing makeup samples at MAC and grabbing dessert from the Cheesecake Factory, the three were better than good with each other.

Both girls had been animated, eagerly sharing their lives with her. The laughter had been abundant and their teasing made her feel like family. They'd had a great time together and Cilla was hopeful for the same with Mama Claudette.

“So, where are we off to?” the older woman questioned, pulling Cilla back to the conversation. “Because I don't usually wear gym clothes out in public.”

Cilla laughed. “I thought you and I could do something totally out of character for both of us. We're going to a pole dancing class.”

There was a brief moment of stunned silence. Wide-eyed Mama Claudette turned to look at her. “Pole dancing?”

Cilla nodded, a nervous giggle easing past her lips. “Yes, ma'am. My friend Bianca takes lessons at a studio off of Glenwood Avenue. They throw introductory parties once every month and I thought it might be fun for the two of us.”

Mama Claudette paused for a brief moment before a wide smile filled her face. She laughed, the wealth of it warm and endearing. Her gray head bobbed against her thin neck. “Pole dancing! Well, I'll be damned!”

The dance studios at Turn Me Loose Fitness featured women of all ages and sizes participating in traditional and nontraditional classes. The pole dancing, twerk fitness, and Zumba classes were all filled to capacity. Once they were inside and Mama Claudette was introduced to other women of her generation she cast aside her preconceived notions of them going to some dimly lit hot spot where there was going to be gyrating and booty popping. The entire atmosphere was slanted toward more of a G rating than an X rating.

Their pole dancing involved performing aerobic moves on a vertical pole. The women who were proficient at it included spins and inversions in high heels. For their beginners' class Cilla and Mama Claudette started with a warm-up and stretching, then moved on to several arm, leg, and ab moves that evolved into a short routine on the silver-toned floor-to-ceiling rod. After the cool down they moved on to wine, cheese, and conversation with the other women, everyone joking and laughing about the good time they'd had.

Cilla was beaming as Mama Claudette enrolled in a series of twelve classes, excitement flooding her face as she wrote them a check. She was still laughing as they made their way back to Cilla's car.