Trouble with Luv' (14 page)

“You make marriage sound like a death sentence.”

“It was for my parents.”

“Lots of couples manage to maintain strong, healthy relationships, Ebony. Look at Pastor and his wife. They're pushing twenty years! Don't they look happy?”

She shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Ebony, you don't know what the future holds. Who's to say you won't meet Mr. Right somewhere down the road and change your mind?” Xavier didn't want her to read what was in his eyes, so he looked away. “Remember what Pastor said last week? ‘You can plan all you want, but
God
has the last say.'”

“If marriage means so much to you, then where is your red minivan and five kids?”

His silence spoke volumes.

Ebony stepped in front of him, obscuring his view of the twelve-hole golf course. “Time to fess up, Xavier.”

“There's nothing to say.”

“Come on,” she urged, donning a grin. “I've been wondering why you're still single. What's your story? Are you one of those commitment-shy brothers or do you have some crazy fetish like wearing women's underwear?”

Xavier laughed until his eyes watered. “You don't pull any punches, do you?”

“I believe in speaking my mind. Now quit stalling and answer the question.”

“I don't have any serious hang-ups or quirks that I'm aware of. But my mother told me that when I was four years old I used to drink out of the toilet bowl.”

“Now, that's just nasty,” Ebony said, giving his shoulder a playful shove.

Xavier took in some air, and then reopened a painful chapter from his past. “I was engaged four years ago, but it didn't work out.”

“What happened?”

Xavier told her everything. How Nathan had dragged him along to be the fourth member of a double date and at the end of the night he had asked Patrice Weaverly out. It hadn't been love at first sight, but over time he had come to care about her.

“She was terrific. Sweet, quiet, modest.”

“Sounds like your kind of girl,” Ebony interjected.

“So I thought. After graduation, I went to Europe to play ball, and she took a full-time job at an ad agency. At first, things were great. We talked every night, wrote letters, she even sent me care packages. But after a few months, the calls and letters grew less frequent, and the packages stopped coming. When I finally returned home after being on the road for a six-month stretch, she didn't have time for me. She canceled dates, insisting she had work to do, and when she did manage to tear herself away from her office, her mind was always on work. When she showed up halfway through Jacqueline and Andrew's wedding ceremony, claiming she had been at the office and lost track of time, I broke things off.”

“Did you expect her to quit her job for you?”

“No. I'd like my wife to stay home with the kids, but I'm a flexible guy. I'd be supportive if she wanted to work part-time.”

“I can't cook,” Ebony blurted out, looking contrite.

Xavier chuckled.

“What's so funny? Did you hear what I just said? I can't cook.”

He patted her leg and then gave her a peck on the cheek. “I know.” When her eyebrows creased, Xavier revealed how he had discovered her secret. “I put two and two together a long time ago. I kind of figured it out when Sister Bertha asked you to make some more gravy for the turkey, and you almost burned down the kitchen. And when we went over to your aunt Mae's house for dinner, she told me not to hold your noncooking skills against you.” With a grin and a wink, he added, “But it's cool. I'm not dating you for your culinary skills.”

Xavier could still hear Ebony's throaty laugh. She had given him a kiss, asked him if he could give her some cooking lessons, and laughed some more when he said, “Only
God
can perform miracles.”

Xavier could easily spend the rest of the night thinking about Ebony, had it not been for the sound of the doorbell. Rising from the couch, he tossed his apple core in the wastebasket and then made his way down the hall. “Who is it?”

“Your bloated, puffy-faced sister. Now open up! The baby and I are getting soaked!”

Chuckling, Xavier opened the door for Jacqueline and ushered her inside. His sister was positively glowing. Her heart-shaped face couldn't be any brighter, her gray eyes were highlighted by the smile on her face and aside from her protruding stomach, she didn't look any different to him. From the neck up, you couldn't even tell that she was five and a half months pregnant.

Xavier closed the door. “What brings you all the way over here in this kind of weather?”

“Boredom,” Jacqueline drawled, “and I had to get away from that husband of mine. He's driving me crazy!” She deepened her voice. “‘Need anything, babe? Comfortable? Want me to get you anything? Should I rub your feet?' Augh! The man is taking this whole pregnancy thing
way
too seriously.”

Shaking his head, he helped take off her coat.

“Don't look at me like that, Xavier. You couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through.”

“Oh, I do,” he replied. “Some women are just never satisfied. They moan and groan about not being able to find a good man, but when they do they complain that he's ‘too nice' or ‘too sweet' or ‘too kind.' Should I remind you of how miserable you were when you were married to Malcolm? How you cried yourself to sleep because you didn't know where he was or whose bed he was in?”

Jacqueline cast her eyes down at the floor. “You're right. I shouldn't be bad-mouthing Andrew.” A tear dribbled down her cheek.

Xavier wiped it away, and then embraced her. “Is this one of those hormone things?” he asked, trying to make her feel better.

Jacqueline looked up at him and stuck out her tongue. Just like that the tension lifted. She followed him into the kitchen, glancing around the room as if it were her first time there. With some effort, she sat down on one of the stools. Observing the fresh cream paint, assortment of flowerpots on the shelf above the sink and African-inspired pictures, she said, “Did some redecorating around here, huh?”

“A little.”

Xavier set a plate of fresh fruit on the counter and handed his sister a glass of orange juice. Noting the diamond-studded wristwatch on his left hand, Jacqueline took a good hard look at her baby brother. Xavier normally wore khakis and a casual shirt to work, but today he had on an aquamarine-blue dress shirt and black wrinkle-free dress pants. His hair was cut, his nails were trimmed and he was wearing new cologne. Jacqueline smiled to herself. Either her brother had been the lucky recipient of an Oprah Winfrey makeover or he had a new woman in his life who had an eye for design. “Looks like
someone
went on a shopping spree. Pick anything up for me and the baby?”

“Nobody went on a shopping spree. I'm just taking better care of myself.” Xavier took a mouthful of orange juice. He wasn't going to tell Jacqueline about his last outing with Ebony. He had walked into Mall of America with the intention of picking up a couple of pairs of socks and the new Air Jordans. But at the end of the day, he'd left with six shopping bags overflowing with everything from underwear to cologne and ties. Arguing with Ebony over the purchases had been futile; he couldn't dissuade her from buying them no matter how hard he tried. Their shopping expedition had been over a week ago, but he still had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Xavier felt like she had bought all those things to impress him. He hadn't asked for the watch or the clothes or the shoes, but he felt guilty nonetheless. To placate his conscience, he'd taken Ebony out to dinner and sent her a gigantic bouquet of tulips the following day.

Jacqueline grabbed his hand. She inspected the watch, her eyebrows rising with each blink. “So, when does the family get to meet Ms. Moneybags?”

“Don't call her that.”

She put on her most innocent expression and pointed at his wrist. “That's at least a five-hundred-dollar watch, you're wearing new clothes and I remember you telling me she insists on paying for everything. I think ‘Ms. Moneybags' is an appropriate nickname for your ladylove, don't you?”

“Her name is Ebony, if you must know.”

Jacqueline waited for more information. When he didn't supply any, she said, “Is that all you're going to give me? I need more. I want details. I already know she's beautiful—” she broke off when Xavier's eyes crinkled. “Okay, okay, so I grilled Andrew about her. It's not my fault I've been too sick to go to church.”

“What else did Andrew say?” Xavier tried to sound indifferent, but there was no fooling his twin sister.

“He said she speaks in an elegant, almost queenly manner, and that she's the best-looking woman he's ever seen in the flesh.” She grinned. “Aside from me, of course.”

Now it was Xavier's turn to smile. Andrew was right. And so were Daruis, Juan and Nathan. Ebony was gorgeous and everything about her was stunning—her skin, her face, her body. And she was smart, too.
Jeopardy!
wasn't much of a challenge for her, she did the Saturday crossword in no time and read her old university textbooks to keep her mind sharp. They had many similarities but it was their differences that kept them together. Ebony was spontaneous. He wasn't. But every now and then, she could persuade him to try something new. She was a risk-taker, an envelope pusher, a daredevil, a modern day Marilyn Monroe. Xavier was terribly meticulous. Ebony wasn't. But when she needed help assembling a new bookshelf for her home office, he had showed her how. Xavier had learned a lot from Ebony since they started dating and he valued her opinion greatly.

“Are you bringing her to the barbecue?”

Xavier had forgotten all about it. His parents were having a barbecue to celebrate their birthday. It was a family tradition. Xavier had never done anything else to celebrate his birthday, but he'd been so busy with Ebony it had slipped his mind. In honor of her birthday, he had booked two nights at a hotel, and after scouring the entire city for the perfect gift, had found something he was sure she would love. Dinner at his parents' house with his relatives just didn't hold its usual appeal. But there was no getting out of it. His mom would lose her natural mind if he told her he had made other plans. It would take some effort on his part, but Xavier would convince Ebony to come to the party. A small detour to his parents' house didn't have to ruin their plans. He would introduce Ebony to his family and then they would leave. He had been planning her birthday for weeks now and he didn't want anything to spoil her day.

When Xavier told Ebony he thought they should put off making love until they knew each other better, she had surprised him. He had expected her to disagree. Or pout. Or beg. But she hadn't done any of those things. She had kissed him softly on the lips and said, “I'm fine with that, Xavier. I think waiting is a good idea.” She didn't pressure him. Never asked him when he'd be ready. Didn't label him old-fashioned or weird. Just waited. And Xavier loved her for that. More than he had ever thought possible.

“S
orry about the movie,” Xavier said, “but I'm sure we can find something to watch here.” Twenty-five newcomers had turned out for the Changing Lives Through Meals program, which meant there was a bigger mess to clean up at the end of the night. Xavier had sped to Golden Globe Theatres, but the movie Ebony wanted to see was sold out. Since they didn't want to wait around for the next showing, Xavier had suggested they watch a movie at his place.

Ebony pulled her lips in, feigning anger. “I know it was all part of your plan, Xavier. You probably paid all those people to show up so you wouldn't have to take me to see
Jeepers Creepers.
”

Xavier looked to the ceiling. “Most women like romantic comedies, tear-jerkers, movies that make them cry, but not my girl. No, my woman likes to watch people get chased through the woods and hacked up like meat.”

His girl? If that isn't the cutest thing I've ever heard,
Ebony thought, wearing a wide, toothy smile. Standing up on her tiptoes, she planted a kiss on his lips. Pulling away she donned her naughtiest smile. “I never actually said I wanted to
watch
the movie, Xavier. I had other things in mind.”

“What am I going to do with you?”

“I'll let you do anything you want,” Ebony said, with a smirk.

Xavier swatted her bottom playfully. “You go pick out a movie, and I'll go get the snacks.”

An hour later, they were curled up on the couch, munching on buttered popcorn, midway through watching
The Best Man.
The living room was dark, except for the light coming from the TV, and the Surround Sound was at full pitch.

Staring intently at the screen, Ebony wondered how Morris Chestnut's character could live with himself. He had sowed his royal oats for years but the knowledge of his fiancée's past indiscretion made him want to call off the wedding.
Some men have no conscience.
Ebony snuggled closer to Xavier, confident that she would never have to worry about him stepping out on her. He didn't have a disloyal bone in his body. They weren't superserious, but she knew he'd be true to her for as long as they were together.

Later, when Ebony thought about the night, she wouldn't be able to remember how it happened. She would struggle to put her finger on what it was that had brought them together. All she knew for certain was that when Xavier kissed her, everything she had been holding inside came gushing out. Her words were a jumbled mess, but somewhere between kissing and undressing, she told him how much he meant to her.

Xavier's hand slipped inside her bra, eliciting a groan from Ebony's mouth. Stroking a breast with one hand, he pressed his lips against her earlobe and then twirled the tip of his tongue in circles.

Ebony's heart had danced with excitement at the prospect of making love. It had been so long. Too long. And it was time. Time for the two to become one.

A frisson of pleasure rippled through her when his hands slipped inside her jeans. Cupping her breasts through her black lace bra sent her pulse careening into overdrive. Ebony wanted him to remove the physical barriers between them, but she didn't want to spoil the mood with words. As if reading her mind, he unhooked her bra, allowing her breasts to spill out in his hands. Xavier lavished attention on each breast. First, circling each one with his tongue, and then capturing the nipple in his mouth.

Ebony didn't trust herself to speak, but she wanted Xavier to know how she felt under the care of his expert hands. “Baby…you make me feel…so good.”

Xavier pulled away and abruptly got up from the couch.

Staring up at him, she sighed deeply. She should have kept her trap shut. Knowing what was coming next, Ebony shrugged back on her shirt and started to do up the buttons. They had been at this junction many times before, and as frustrating as it was to get this far and turn back, she wasn't going to make an issue out of it. When Xavier was ready for them to be lovers, he would let her know. Ebony only hoped it was soon. A girl could only wait so long.

“Things are getting out of hand,” Xavier would say in a guttural tone. “It's getting late. I should take you home.” Whenever they rounded second base, he stopped. Ebony opened her mouth to tell Xavier she wanted to finish watching the movie, but he bent down and kissed her before she could get the words out.

Xavier touched a hand to Ebony's face. He had been planning for their first time to be on her birthday, on a bed of roses, under dim lights and romantic music, but he couldn't wait a second longer to make love to her. Love was conveyed in actions, not words, and tonight he was going to show Ebony just how much he cared for her.

Xavier took Ebony by the hand and led her down the hall. When they reached his bedroom, he flicked on the bedside lamp, laid Ebony down like she was a piece of porcelain and stretched out on top of her.

Ebony loved being naked. Liked the feel of air on her skin. The freedom. The sexiness of it all. She pranced around the house naked, blinds open, not the least bit self-conscious about her body. A perpetrator would need high-powered binoculars or X-ray vision to see her from the street, she would reason to herself. She implored her girlfriends and clients to get in touch with their bodies. Wear silk, sleep naked, get a bikini wax, take belly-dancing lessons. Ebony was as uninhibited as a woman could be, but when Xavier finished undressing her, she drew the blanket up to her neck. Ebony had “problem” areas that she didn't want him to see. Her breasts weren't as perky as they used to be, a thin pad of fat obscured her abs, and her knee was tarnished with a childhood scar. And just the thought of Xavier looking at her thick, ham hock thighs made Ebony cringe. She knew where her flaws were, and if he continued studying her body the way he was, he would, too.

“What's the matter?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on, Ebony, tell me what's up.”

Self-conscious about her tummy, or rather the fat around it, she turned onto her side. “I have flaws, you know.”

Xavier stared down at Ebony. She was perfect. Full breasts, flat stomach, curvaceous hips, toned legs he couldn't wait to feel circling around his waist. “You're perfect, babe.”

Ebony licked her slightly swollen lips. Though it wasn't her intention, the move was unbelievably erotic.

A thousand thoughts crowded his mind. No one had ever stirred or enticed him the way Ebony did. Not even his first love, and he had loved Mia with all that he had. His feelings for Ebony weren't some high school puppy love thing. This was real. He was sprung and proud of it. In the corner of his mind, he could see a future with her. He saw a sprawling white house, picket fence and all; a minivan in the driveway; a kiddie pool in the backyard; and a gang of kids at his feet. And when their lips reunited for a wickedly sexy kiss, Xavier almost dropped down to his knees and proposed.

They kissed and teased and kissed some more and when he discarded his T-shirt, jeans and boxer shorts, Ebony waited anxiously for him to rejoin her. Xavier had refused to admit the obvious, but from the moment he first saw her, he knew she was special. He had known instinctively that she had the power to change his life. And he had suspected if they ever hooked up, she would rock his world. He was right. They hadn't even done the deed yet, but here he was, panting like a dog in heat.

Xavier positioned himself on top of Ebony. He took in the rise and fall of her chest and the sudden wariness on her face. If he questioned her, she would deny it, but her eyes never lied. In all the time they had been dating, Xavier had never seen Ebony look anything but self-possessed. She typified poise and grace at all times. But tonight, in his bedroom, under the muted lights, she looked vulnerable.

Xavier dropped his mouth to her ear. “You're beautiful, Ebony.” He pecked her cheek. “Like a rose.” More kisses. “Like a sunset.” They locked eyes. “Like a John Coltrane song.”

Ebony felt tears in her eyes. Now she knew she was losing it. Crying because he called her beautiful? That was silly. Sudden bouts of self-consciousness? Crazy. And wavering between sleeping with him and waiting a little bit longer was even more ludicrous. In past relationships she had never felt the need to hold off, but for some reason, completely unknown to her, she wanted to with Xavier. She didn't want to ruin what they had, what they were building on, didn't want to wake up tomorrow morning to discover he resented her.

While Ebony struggled with her emotions, Xavier loved her. Tenderly and slowly and with as much love as a man could give. He paused only once, just long enough to protect them both, then resumed touching her, kissing her and soothing her heart with sweet words. And when he finally entered her, after driving her to delirium with his hands and mouth, a single tear spilled down her cheek. Not because she was in pain, but because she felt loved. Ebony had never, ever been loved like this. Had never been worshipped. Or treasured. She had always believed that “making love” was just a fancy, sophisticated term for sex; in her mind they were one and the same. Both produced the same result. But with each thrust, each touch, each kiss, each spoken word, Ebony discovered how different the two were. One was wine, the other beer. Sex was good in its own right, but making love was exceedingly better. It was a whole-body experience. Mind, body and soul came together and filled the heart with love. And for Ebony, there was no greater feeling.

Xavier did things to her she didn't even know she wanted. And after a body-numbing orgasm, his body enveloped her to create a warm and cozy cocoon. Ebony had been loved, thoroughly, completely and without reservation. For as long as she lived, she would remember the magic and passion of their first time.

 

Ebony's eyes slowly flickered open. Sunlight trickled in through the open window. The air smelled fresh and the sky was bright. Her eyes adjusted to the light as she struggled to roll over onto her side. A few seconds passed before she remembered where she was. Ebony's eyebrows furrowed when she reached across the bed and didn't find Xavier beside her.
Where is he?
Thoughts of last night wiped the frown from her face and brought a smile to her lips.
Did we really make love all night long?
she asked herself, swinging her wobbly legs over the side of the bed.
It feels like it was all a dream. A very naughty dream.

Concealing her nakedness with one of the oversize T-shirts in the closet, she thought back to last night's events. Xavier had rocked her world. Not once, but twice. He had introduced her to a style of loving she had never known. He was gentle, but urgent. Tender, but physical. Wild, but controlled. And just the thought of where his lips and tongue had been made her shiver. Ebony had kissed her fair share of handsome men. A couple of them had known a thing or two about sex, but no one came close to making her feel the way Xavier had. He had put it on her,
big time.
He had done everything right, said all the right things and touched her the right way without having to be coached. It was as if he could read her innermost thoughts.

Her eyes strained to the mirror. She was so hungry she could eat Xavier out of house and home, but she wasn't going anywhere until she got herself together. Her face had to be washed, her teeth brushed and her hair combed. Dragging her hands through the tangled ends of her hair, she set off down the hall for the bathroom.

When it came to sex, Ebony had three very strict rules. Rule number one was the easiest to follow: no condom, no loving. In all the years she had been sexually active, she had never had unprotected sex. And whenever she talked to her girlfriend Cassandra, who said she didn't like the feel of them and enjoyed the spontaneity of “going with the flow,” she lectured her about the dangers of “going with the flow.” No sleepovers, under any circumstances, was rule number two. When the deed was done, Ebony went home. It could be the dead of night, and she would still crawl out of bed, say her goodbyes and drive back to her place. Rule number three had been revised several times, but it had never been broken. She loved her house. It was her sanctuary. Her sacred place. Dates could come over, they could even stay for dinner, but they couldn't spend the night. Couldn't even sit down on her bed. Memories lingered. Played with your mind when you least expected it. Ebony was smart enough to know that nothing lasted forever, and when a relationship ended, she wanted to be able to move on without painful reminiscences about what used to be.

Last night, Ebony had broken rule number one and two, and she knew it was just a matter of time before she broke rule number three. Fortunately pregnancy wasn't a fear because she was on the pill. Funny, but Ebony didn't feel guilty for “going with the flow” or for allowing herself to fall asleep in Xavier's arms, either. If anything, she felt lucky. For the first time in her life, she had found a man who truly cared about her. His number one priority was pleasing her, not fulfilling his own sexual needs. Xavier wasn't satisfied until
she
was satisfied and there was nothing sweeter than being with such a selfless man.

After freshening up, Ebony set out in search of Xavier. The corners of her mouth turned down when she entered the kitchen. The air was saturated with the aroma of eggs, bacon, and freshly brewed coffee, but there was no food anywhere. However, as she turned toward the dining room, she caught sight of a pink envelope in the middle of the pear-shaped glass table. Ebony ripped it open. It read:
Breakfast is waiting for you on the patio, Beautiful.