Consequences Read online

“And hurt his feelings? No way. He thinks we’re a perfect fit because he slides right on in. That man has no idea the reason why he slides in is because he’s no wider than my thumb.”

  I didn’t know what it was, but lately I’d been giving a helluva lot of advice on sex. Trust me, I was no expert. “Well, you’re going to have to decide if you love that man enough to live with his shortcomings. No pun intended.”

  “I love him with all my heart. He is so good to me. Gets up every Sunday and together we go to church. God couldn’t have given me a better man, but I’m left feeling unsatisfied, and I don’t know what to do.”

  “I think before you end up doing something that you might regret, you need to talk to him.”

  “Well . . . see that’s the problem. I already slept with someone else.”

  I leaned in closer to the microphone. “Ooh, now we were getting to the juicy part! Please continue.”

  “Well, one of the guys at work had been trying to get with me for years, and last week a bunch of us went out for drinks and afterward I went with him to his apartment.”

  “And . . .” I urged for dramatic effect.

  “Ohmygoodness! Sex was off the charts! That man made my toes curl!”

  “Good sex will do that to ya.” I laughed.

  “It was so good I met him at his house today for lunch. I can’t stay away, and it’s not even the guy. He’s broke, with five kids by four different women. He’s nothing I would ever date.”

  “But he’s satisfying your needs,” I added.

  “Good Lord, yes! That man has made me realize what I have been missing all these years. Now I find myself comparing my man to him, who, I have to say, is packing a baseball bat between his legs! Hell, the other night I was afraid my man was going to fall in behind him.”

  I covered my mouth to keep from laughing and stared through the glass at my producer, Tristan, who was also having a hard time holding it together.

  “Delicious, let me give you a piece of advice. If you truly love this man, you gotta be honest with him and tell him the truth. You’re never going to find that hundred percent with any man, yet there are just some things you can’t live without. For you, maybe sex is one of those things.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Good luck.” I ended the call. “The phone lines are lit up; let’s take some calls and see what my listeners have to say. Caller, you’re on the air.”

  “Good evening, Ms. Nikki. This is Cortez. I have to say I can’t understand women.”

  I chuckled. “You are not alone, Cortez.”

  “I’m serious. Women say they want a good man and when they get one, they still ain’t happy.”

  “I think that’s where the debate of what constitutes a good man comes into play.”

  “That man is a good provider. If it walks like a duck and it talks like a duck, then it’s a duck. Hell, I work long hours at Burger Heaven, flipping burgers over that hot grill. I bring home my entire check, and yet my girl still ain’t happy. She wants me to strive for something better. Why? I’ve been working there almost eight years and have a golden spatula to prove it.”

  “No offense, Cortez, but women want men who are not only hard workers, but who are striving for something more.”

  “I am striving for more. After ten years, I shall be promoted to shift supervisor.” He had the nerve to have an attitude. I guess I would, too, if I made my living flipping burgers.

  “Then get ready for two more years of unhappiness. Next caller.” I ended the call and pressed the next blinking red light.

  “Ms. Nikki, this is Mimi. I just wanted to say, Delicious, girl, go buy some toys, it beats having a no-good man any day.”

  I chuckled. “I know that’s right. Thanks for calling. You hear that. Delicious, maybe you should try adding toys to your relationship. Caller, you’re on the air.”

  “Ms. Nikki, Delicious needs to dump that pencil dick! It doesn’t matter how hard she squeezes her pelvic muscles, she’s never going to feel anything down there. Trust me, I had one. I ain’t never felt shit, so I was shocked when my doctor told me I was pregnant.”

  I had to laugh at that one.

  “Thanks for calling. Next caller.”

  I took a few more calls and before long it was time to sign off for the night. “This is Nikki Truth at Hot 97 WJPC signing off. Remember to tell the truth even if it hurts. Good night.”

  Ron Isley came onto the air. I took my headset off and leaned back in the seat. Another good night and I was pleased. At least something in my life was going right.

  Within minutes the door opened and my dear friend and producer Tristan Bell came into my office. “Well, girlfriend, another fabulous night!” he said with a dramatic pose.

  I grinned at him as he batted his long fake eyelashes. He was such a diva with perfect nutty brown skin and black shoulder-length weave that bounced with every move. I’d known Tristan since I started working at the radio station, so we’ve been friends for almost eight years. After Trinette left St. Louis and joined her husband in Richmond, Tristan and I had become besties; that is, as long as Trinette doesn’t know anything about it. That chick is territorial when it comes to our friendship; although most of the time our relationship was one sided, which meant she only called when she needed something. Just thinking about our phone conversation still had me shaking my head.

  I think there are some women who are meant to be tied down to one man and then there are women like Trinette, who are meant to be free to do whatever she wants whenever she wants with every Tom, Dick, and Barry as long as he’s got enough money to keep her in the lifestyle to which she’s grown accustomed. Don’t get me wrong, I love that girl like a sister, but she is definitely a piece of work.

  Tristan’s high-pitched voice broke into my thoughts. “Some friends and I are having a get-together at my place this weekend. You and Donovan are invited.”

  I gave Tristan a hard look. “Now, you know Donovan ain’t coming to a barbecue with you and all your flaming friends.” I wasn’t trying to be mean, just keeping it real. Hell, it took my husband long enough just to get used to being around Tristan. It wasn’t that Donovan didn’t like gay men. He was just like any other black straight man, ready to go off if you even hinted at the possibility.

  Tristan sucked his teeth, then wiggled into the room making a fashion statement. Of course he looked great in Baby Phat jeans, a black blouse, and black rhinestone studded pumps. “I really want you to meet this fiiine dude I’m seeing.”

  “Another one,” I said with a chuckle. Between Tristan and Trinette’s social calendars, I couldn’t seem to keep up.

  He took a seat on the comfortable old couch beside my desk and crossed his long legs. “Uh-uh. This one . . . there’s something special about him. No, listen, Nikki! I’m serious. The second I spotted him walking into Straight Shooters, I knew I wanted my lips all over that gorgeous body.”

  I swung around on my seat, laughing. Tristan always did have a way of lifting my spirits. Lord knows I needed any distraction I could get. Otherwise, I’d find myself thinking about the problems I had at home.

  “So I guess you took him home.”

  His dark eyes widened. “No, we went to this little coffee shop on the east side and spent most of the night talking.”

  That was definitely a first. Usually they went to some motel getting their freak on. “So is this guy gay or on the down low?” I asked, tossing him a curious look.

  “If you’re asking if he’s married, then the answer is yes. But he’s planning to leave her. I’m hoping a little loving will help persuade him sooner.” He ran his tongue across his glossy lips suggestively.

  “You are so nasty.”

  He gave me a knowing look and smiled. “I know.”

  I was still laughing when my eyes traveled over to the clock. “Speaking of nasty . . . I better get home to my husband.”

  “Must be nice to have in-house dick. Some of us aren’t as fortunate,” Tristan added with a play
ful eye roll.

  “I wouldn’t say all that,” I murmured, especially since we hadn’t made love in over a week.

  Tristan must have seen something on my face for him to lean forward and ask, “Are things getting any better?”

  I hated talking bad about my marriage, especially at this point everything should have been perfect, so I simply shrugged. “Barely, but I’m taking it one day at a time.”

  “Just give him time,” he reassured me. “It’s only been a few months.”

  I nodded. “Thanks.”

  Tristan rose. “And kiss Aiden for me.”

  I smiled at the mention of my two-year-old son. “I will.”

  After he left, I gathered up my things and slipped my purse onto my shoulder, and we walked out to the parking lot together.

  “If you decide to come this weekend, let me know. My Big Daddy is planning to stop through.”

  My brow rose. “Really? Wow! Maybe he is planning to come out the closet.”

  He grinned broadly. “I told ya! Smooches!” He gave me a two-finger wave, then strut his long legs over to his Impala like he was moving down a runway. Like I said, Tristan was such a diva.

  I climbed into my Lexus and headed toward home. While I listened to Marsha Ambrosius’s CD, I said a silent prayer. “Please let tonight be a good night.” I wasn’t asking for much. I just wanted things back the way they used to be.

  Donovan Truth was serving in the National Guard and had done two deployments: one to Iraq and the second to Afghanistan. It had been rough for us, considering when he’d left for Iraq our marriage had been on the rocks. After the death of our first child, Mimi, we just couldn’t seem to get our relationship back on track, so his deployment had been like a blessing because it had given us the distance we needed. Luckily, when he came home, we were able to save our marriage, and within a month I discovered I was pregnant with our second child. That had been a time for us to start over new. Then a year after Aiden was born, Donovan’s unit was being deployed again. It had been three months since his return from Afghanistan, but it was still evident that the second twelvemonth deployment had taken a toll on Donovan. When my husband came home, he wasn’t the same man who had left.

  I know that, as a military wife, I have to be supportive of my husband and help him through the tough times, but sometimes it’s more than I can bear. The mood swings, the distance, sometimes it’s like he’s still gone. I just don’t know what to do anymore except pray and take it one day at a time.

  I pulled into the garage beside his Cadillac Escalade. It was his gift to himself after two deployments. Who needed a gas guzzler in this economy, yet I just nodded and said nothing.

  I stepped into the house and Rudy, my spoiled schnauzer, greeted me at the door. “Hey, stinky butt. How’s Mama’s baby?” I cooed while I showed him some love. That little boy had been with us since he was a puppy and was a part of our family.

  I looked across the room and saw the light on in the family room. I gave Rudy a treat, then hung my purse on a chair in the kitchen and stepped into the family room, located at the rear of the house. Donovan was relaxing on the couch, watching the basketball game.

  “Whassup, baby,” he said as soon as he spotted me stepping through the doorway and signaled for me to come over.

  I breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled, sauntered over, and lowered across his lap. “Hey, handsome.” We kissed and I could taste the tequila on Donovan’s breath. Ever since his return, he’d been drinking way too much. I bit my tongue and decided not to say anything. For one night, I just wanted everything to at least feel normal. “Where’s Aiden?”

  Donovan planted another wet kiss to my lips before answering. “After his bath he was out like a light.” He kissed me some more. “How was the show tonight?” I was surprised. Asking about my radio show was something he rarely did anymore.

  I smiled. “It was good. Women talked about how they loved their men, yet they weren’t satisfying them in bed.”

  He winked. “Glad you don’t have that problem.”

  “How do you know I don’t?” I purred playfully.

  “Because your man knows how to put it down.”

  I started laughing and thought Donovan would join in, but instead his eyes darkened as he locked his gaze with mine.

  “Oh, so you got jokes. Then I guess your man needs to show you.” In one fluid motion, he lifted me into his arms and his mouth covered mine hungrily. One thing about my husband, he was one helluva kisser. My arms circled his neck and I leaned forward and felt the strong pumping of his heart as he carried me upstairs to our bedroom. Already I could feel myself getting moist. Donovan was right. He knew how to put it down in the bedroom, and I was more than anxious to feel him sliding inside of me.

  When we got into the room, he lowered me slowly to my feet. He raised his arms over his head while I pulled off his shirt and tossed it. Damn, I loved looking at his gorgeous body. My husband was redbone, five-ten with a medium build and a chest and arms that were the result of spending hours pumping iron at the gym. My eyes followed the narrow trail of dark hair over the ripples in his stomach. Donovan dropped his jeans to the floor and stepped forward.

  “You want some of this, don’t you?”

  “You know I do, so quit playing,” I teased.

  “How do you want it?” he asked, then reached up and released every button of my blouse.

  “I want it long and hard,” I said, tossing the fabric onto the floor.

  “I think I can handle that.” He grinned, flashing that smile I loved so much. My man had been blessed with perfect teeth.

  “I missed you, Don. Now please make love to your horny wife before she explodes.”

  “Well, we definitely can’t be having that. Last thing I want is for your friends to think your man ain’t on his job.”

  “Then get wit it, sexy,” I said playfully.

  “At your service, madam.” His erection thrust against my belly and I got all hot and bothered at the thought of my husband making love to me again.

  Reaching behind me, I unclasped my bra and tossed that sucker across the room, then waited while my husband slid my black lace panties over my hips and down to my ankles.

  “Hold up. Don’t move.”

  Standing in front of him, I watched his eyes as they took their time traveling the length of my body.

  “Dayum! How did I get to be so lucky?”

  I giggled and kicked the panties away. “I guess it was your lucky day,” I cooed.

  Donovan snaked a hand around my waist, pulling me against the length of his hard body. I drew in a sharp breath while he left a trail of kisses along my neck and cheek.

  “I’m the lucky one,” I said.

  Reaching down, I cupped my magic stick, stroking the length, and was already getting excited thinking about having all those inches pounding between my thighs. Before he was deployed, we’d had sex almost every day and dammit, I wanted those days back.

  “I think someone misses me,” I purred as I stroked the tip of his dick with my thumb until Donovan sucked in a hiss.

  “Hell yeah, I missed you.” One of his hands rounded my ass while the other eased my fingers from around his penis. “Yo, you better quit before it’s over before we even get started.” Laughing, he backed me slowly toward the bed. “Lie down, baby,” he ordered.

  He didn’t need to tell me twice. I slid up on the bed and exhaled as his warm, hard body covered mine. Donovan stared down at me. “I haven’t been taking care of my wife’s needs. But all that’s about to change.”

  God, I hoped so.

  His fingers traveled downward and didn’t stop until he reached my slippery wet folds, where he slid two fingers inside.

  “Yes.” Moaning, I arched off the bed.

  “You like that?” he urged.

  I shuddered. “Yesss, you know I do.” Any attentive husband knew what it took to please his wife. Don pulled his fingers out to the fingertip and then pushed again, touching my G-
spot. I was beyond ready and started rocking my hips, meeting his strokes. “Don . . . now . . . please hurry,” I whined, and was seconds away from exploding when Donovan slid down on the bed, positioning his head between my thighs.

  “Hold up, Nikki. First I need to eat that pussy.” Pressing his mouth to my sensitive lips made me cry out with pleasure. Then he licked and sucked, getting his eat on until I thought I would lose my mind. “You taste so good.” He stroked me up, down, and around, using his tongue and teeth with this move that jerked my hips up off the mattress. And when he sucked at my swollen clit, I was squirming on the bed and moaning hysterically.

  “Oooh . . . baby!” And then I came hard enough that I felt like I was having a seizure. My entire body shuddered until his tongue took that final stroke across my clit. I was delirious with need by the time Don moved up on the bed and spread my thighs wide.

  “You missed Daddy?” he asked.

  “Yes, Mama missed you,” I panted. My body was weak with need. “Now, please. I need you inside of me.” With one push my baby drove inside and I cried out in shock, then exhaled and drew him deeper.

  “Nikki . . . oooh, baby,” he groaned, then began thrusting, pounding his length into me. I cried out his name and raised my legs back toward my shoulders, wanting to feel all of him, driving deeper. Each thrust wasn’t enough until an entire week of pent-up frustration burst free.

  “Don! Yesss . . . yesss!” I cried out with incredible force.

  “That’s it,” Donovan groaned as I squeezed my walls tightly around his dick. Then he began to move faster, and the muscles along his back tensed. “Aughhh!” he cried out as he came, then collapsed on top of me.

  I smiled and trailed soft, wet kisses along his shoulder. How I loved him. This was the man I had loved since junior high. We took it slow. I didn’t give him my virginity until our sophomore year, and I never regretted it. As soon as we graduated high school, we got married and I never looked back.

  “I love you, Nikki.”

  I sighed and closed my eyes. “And I love you.”

  And then I prayed that things could stay that way. Although at the back of my mind, I already knew that before things finally got better, it was going to get a lot worse.