Careful of the Company You Keep Read online

  She’s a rhythm and blues singer from the STL who we love. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

  “Cool. I’ll holla at you on Friday.”

  I caught her before she could hang up. “Hey, Kayla. You know Kenny Johnson?” After all, she’s from that podunk town.

  “That’s my cousin.”

  Nadine had suspected as much. I giggled. “Really? He’s going to be working on a car for Tamara.”

  “Oh brother! And he’s going to be all over you. Hot! You’re just the way he likes his women.”

  “Really?” I found that bit of information intriguing. “I’m supposed to meet him for dinner in a few minutes. What’s he look like?”

  “You’ve seen him before. He’s Marcus’s brother.”

  Marcus was her first cousin, and he wasn’t nothing to look at. Glasses, receding hairline.

  “They look the same, only Marcus is older.”

  “Well, I’m already in the parking lot at Country Kitchen and getting ready to walk in the restaurant and meet him now.”

  “Oh boy! I can’t wait to hear how your evening goes. He is going to be on you, probably ready to call out from work and go home with you.”

  We shared a laugh. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Nope, you need to call or e-mail me tonight with all the details.”

  I agreed, then hung up the phone.

  I check my lipstick one more time, and my nostrils to make sure there weren’t any boogers lurking around, then I slowly climbed out of my car and sashayed toward the door in a pair of tight-ass Baby Phat jeans and matching jacket, rhinestone belt, black boots, and an off-the-shoulder black top that along with a padded bra made my boobs look perfect. While chewing gum, I moved like I had all the time in the world before I stepped through the door and glanced around for him.

  Oh my goodness! I spotted him sitting at a booth in the corner, and it took everything I had not to laugh. Kenny’s glasses were so big they were hanging on the end of his nose, and just as Nadine had warned, he had a big goofy-ass smile on his face. He rose and stood close to six feet. I noticed how skinny he was. “This is going to be easy,” I mumbled under my breath. Like taking candy from a baby. “Hello.”

  “Whassup?” he greeted with a smile.

  I took a seat on the bench across from him and he returned to his seat. Kenny was staring so hard I knew he liked what he saw. He wasn’t ugly, in fact he was kinda cute in a goofy Urkel kinda way. And I do mean goofy.

  His hair was thin and receding like his brother’s. All he needed was a piece of tape in the middle of his glasses and he would have looked like a straight-up nerd. He was staring so hard his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. All I needed was for him to slobber and I knew I had his homely ass.

  “What’s wrong?” I finally asked. I already knew but needed to hear him say it.

  “You’re fine as hell.”

  “Thanks,” I replied, grinning.

  The waitress came and took our orders. He ordered a burger and fries and I ordered onion rings. That way he wouldn’t try to kiss me.

  “I probably don’t look anything like you thought.”

  “Actually, you and your brother look alike.”

  “Oh yeah,” he said, all country and shit. “Everybody always says that.”

  “Yes, except he’s darker than you.”

  “I’m just an old country boy, that’s all.”

  I smiled. Yep, he was definitely that.

  “But country boys are supposed to be some of the best men.”

  My brow arched. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  While we ate, he asked what I did for a living and I told him. He admitted he wasn’t much of a reader, which I suspected as much. Then we talked about the people we both knew.

  “I’m good friends with your cousin Kayla.”

  His face lit up. “Oh yeah? Did you tell her you were meeting me tonight?”

  “Yep and she said, ‘oh brother, you’re his type.’ ”

  “My cousin ain’t lying,” he said with a goofy laugh. “I wanted to ask you to stand up so I can see that big ass again.”

  Rolling my eyes, I pretended to be insulted. “You’re just going to have to wait until we get done eating.”

  “Oh yeah?” Damn, oh yeah, oh yeah, is that all he knows?

  “Yep, you’re gonna have to wait.”

  He gave that goofy laugh again. “What are you doing the rest of the night?”

  “Lie across my bed and watch TV.”

  He wet his lips. “I’m tempted to not go back to work and go home with you instead.”

  Freak. He was so desperate he couldn’t even wait for an invitation. “Not tonight. I’m worn out.”

  “Maybe another time?”

  I nodded and when we finished eating, I walked toward the register with him coming up behind me. I knew he was watching my ass, so I swayed just a little harder. Oh yeah, this is going to be easy.

  After he paid, he walked me out to my car, then climbed in on the passenger’s side.

  “When do I get to see you again?”

  I shrugged and looked out in front of me. “I guess whenever you’re ready to pick the car up.”

  “I can get it on Friday, but I don’t want to wait that long to see you again.”

  If he thinks he’s getting some before he fixes my car, he better think again. “Just give me a call.”

  “Okay.” He looked over the tops of his glasses at his watch. “I better get back to work.” I could tell he was in no rush to leave. “I’ve got ten minutes to clock back in.”

  “Then you better get rolling.”

  He gave me a nervous laugh, then leaned over and kissed me. Mmmm, not bad for a country boy.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  I nodded. He climbed out and I watched him walk to his truck as I drove away. I was chuckling and reaching for my phone to call Kayla back with the details when someone behind me started flashing their lights. I stopped at that light and a truck pulled alongside me. When I saw who it was, I smiled and rolled down my window.

  “Yes?”

  Kenny stuck his head out of his big Ford truck. “What time you going to bed?”

  “Around midnight.”

  “I’ll call you in an hour to make sure you made it home okay.”

  I nodded just as the light turned green and pulled off. This was definitely going to be easy.

  23

  Renee

  Kenny called me every morning and we shared dinner in the evening. We had a lot more in common than I ever imagined, and I was surprised because most men didn’t like talking on the phone. I wanted so badly to pick up the phone and tell Danielle every detail. Because that’s what best friends do—they gossip and talk about their men. Kayla and Nadine are cool, but Kayla’s too religious and judgmental and Nadine doesn’t understand normal relationships. Her relationship with her parents is dysfunctional. And her personal life . . . well . . . you get the idea. I wanted to share my experience with Danielle, but if her ass wants to stay mad then that’s her problem.

  Friday, I had been at the job for almost an hour when my personal line rang.

  “Good morning.”

  I rolled around on my chair wearing a big grin. “Good morning to you. What are you doing up so early?” It was barely nine o’clock.

  “I came to pick up your daughter’s car. Have you had breakfast yet?”

  “Nope. Was running late.” At the exact moment I looked up at the doorway, Kenny stepped in holding piping hot coffee and a bag I was sure held cinnamon raisin biscuits. “Good morning.”

  “I thought I’d stop by and see you before I headed back to Boonville,” he said as he returned his phone to his pocket and moved toward my desk.

  “Thank you.” I took the bag from him and peeked inside. Sure enough, hot biscuits were inside.

  “I got somebody waiting in the car, but I wanted to drop by and see you before I headed back.”

  He was wearing
his worn work clothes, yet he still looked good to me. I moved around my desk, shut my door, pushed him back against it, and gave him a kiss big enough to put something on his mind.

  “I better go before I tell you to lock that door.”

  “And then what will you do?” I reached down and grabbed his crotch. Just as I thought, he was already rising to the occasion.

  “Keep it up and you’ll find out,” he warned.

  “Show me.”

  He gave me a nervous laugh, then reached for the handle. “I better go before I get you fired.”

  His heart was racing, so I knew I had him like I said. “I’ll call you when I get off.”

  “What time you getting home?”

  “Probably two.”

  “Anybody going to be home?”

  “Nope.”

  He gave me a horny smile. “Meet me there.”

  “I’ll let you know.”

  He nodded and gave me one final kiss and I watched him leave. I moved back to my desk and called Nadine on her cell. “Guess who just came to my job.”

  “Kenny?”

  “Yep. He wants to meet me at my house after work.”

  “You know what he wants.”

  “I know. I’m trying to stall his ass until Tamara’s car is done.” I snorted.

  “He just picked it up this morning. As slow as he is, it’s going to be another two weeks. He probably knows that once the car is done you’re through dealing with him.”

  I had to laugh at that. Probably so. He was trying to put off the inevitable as long as possible.

  “Then I guess you better throw it on him so he’ll be feigning for more.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. Then I’m guaranteed to have my car fixed . . . for free. Okay, I’m going to let him come over. I guess I’ll be pulling my handcuffs out the drawer.”

  “Girl, don’t tell me that, because I’m not going to be able to keep a straight face when I see him.”

  “You know how I do.”

  “I do, and that’s the problem.”

  I hung up and called Kenny on his cell and invited him to my house.

  I hurried through the rest of the afternoon and left an hour early to make sure the kids were gone. Quinton worked every Friday evening and Tamara was at her dad’s. He lived in a country town about forty minutes away, and he and his new wife had a daughter that Tamara loved.

  I put fresh sheets on my bed, hopped in the shower, and put on a pair of tight-ass shorts, a T-shirt, and a pair of silver stilettos. I found my handcuffs and flavored oil and put them on the side of my bed, out of plain sight. I had just sprayed a little perfume at my wrist when I heard the bell. Showtime. I took my time going to the door.

  I opened the door halfway so he’d have to open it himself, then moved over to the window to pretend I was looking outside. I heard him hiss under his breath. “Goddamn.”

  “Hey, you,” I finally said as I turned to face him. He was slipping out of his shoes while his eyes were glued to me.

  “Whadda you looking at?”

  “You.”

  “Really?” Without saying anything further, I turned on my heels and didn’t wait for him to follow me. Like a little puppy he was on my heels, and as soon as I closed the bedroom door, he was on me like a leech.

  “Hold up. Wait a minute,” I said as I pushed him back on the bed.

  “Hell, I’ve waited long enough.”

  “Too bad.” I slowly pulled my T-shirt away and stood in front of him in nothing but a thong. He sprang to his feet. I pressed a hand to his chest, halting him from touching me, then pulled his shirt over his head. Skinny. No muscles, and curly hairs on his chest. And a gut. He looked like a turtle.

  Goodness, at forty-seven, he didn’t have much of a body. Oh well, this was all about business.

  “Lie back.” Obediently he moved to the center of the bed and lay back against the pillow. As soon as he was settled, I straddled his waist and dropped my lips to his chest. He started laughing.

  “I’m ticklish.”

  I frowned while he squirmed. How the hell was I supposed to turn him on if he couldn’t sit still? Reaching over toward the side of the bed, I grabbed the handcuffs and hooked him to the bedpost before he knew what happened.

  “Let my hands go,” he demanded, then tried to pull his arms free. It was useless.

  “Nope, you’re moving too much and messing up my flow.” I ran my tongue along his chest and across his belly, stopping to nibble at his belly button. He squirmed helplessly on the bed.

  “Come on, I don’t like being tied up.”

  “Too bad.”

  I reached for the fly of his pants and while I dragged my tongue across his gut—I mean abs, I released the button. As soon as his zipper was down, I kissed him one last time, then rose and gazed down into his eyes. “Let’s see what we have in here.” I motioned for him to raise his hips and lowered his pants and boxers. My mouth dropped and my knees buckled.

  He was hung like a horse.

  Oh. My. God. It had the prettiest head that I ever did see. All I could do was stare and lick my lips.

  Kenny gazed up at me with pride. “I bet you didn’t expect that.”

  I couldn’t help but to chuckle along with him. “No, not at all.” But it definitely made up for the gut and receding hairline. I wrapped my lips around the head and sucked.

  “Damn, you do it just like a young girl.”

  I took that as a compliment. “You mean to tell me your woman doesn’t slob on your knob?”

  “Not like that,” he managed between moans.

  I loved knowing I was better at pleasing him than his old-ass woman could ever be. I reached over, grabbed the flavored oil and rubbed it along his length, put a drop on my tongue, then leaned down and kissed his lips.

  “Mmmm, that tasted good. What is that?”

  “Butterscotch.”

  I teased his length, then swallowed him in one gulp and then kissed him some more.

  “Damn, that feels good.”

  “Of course it does. I aim to please.” I nibbled, sucked, and teased some more, and within minutes he was bucking his hips.

  “That’s it, baby, I’m about to come!” he cried. I stroked him faster, and within seconds he shot all over my hand. “Aaagghh!” I milked him dry, then reached for a towel and cleaned up. I freed his hands, then lay beside him. “Damn, that was good.”

  “I aim to please.”

  “Oh yeah?” he said.

  I chuckled. “Oh yeah.”

  24

  Danielle

  I lay across my bed in flannel pajamas reminiscing. After only one week, I knew I had to be in love. Or deeply in like. Our relationship was amazing. I felt like a schoolgirl. We had lunch together in the hospital cafeteria. Walked through the halls, holding hands and kissing. After work I rushed home to get ready to spend the evening with Chance. I had to look down to make sure my feet were on the ground, because I had to be floating or even flying through the sky. Every day I felt like calling someone and sharing what I was feeling. Kayla seemed to be the only one who understood, because she was in love. Still, when I talked to her last night, she warned me to be careful and to slow down.

  Slow down for what? If it’s right, it’s right. And it definitely felt like the real thing. Pounding heart. Dry mouth. Giggly and silly. Yep, sounds like love to me. I couldn’t stop smiling. Even now my smile had a smile. I’ve only thought about Ron once today, and Calvin hadn’t even crossed my mind until I was about to pick up the phone to call Renee and remembered she and I weren’t speaking.

  “Bitch!” I mumbled to myself. How long was it going to take her to call me and apologize? After all, she was in the wrong, not me. She had no business letting Calvin lick her pussy. It didn’t matter that I didn’t want him anymore. This was one time when she stepped over the line.

  I remembered all the years we hung out. We never needed to compete because there was always a man for her and a different man for me. I’m tall,
skinny, with shoulder-length hair and a light brown complexion. Renee is thick, with a clear caramel complexion and short honey blond hair. We’re both cuties and getting a man has never been a problem for us. But we’ve always had an unwritten rule—never fuck with the other’s exes. Now don’t get me wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t have started messing with Calvin in the first place. But their relationship was almost fifteen years ago and she dumped him. Besides, she told me she didn’t care that I was seeing him. Okay . . . maybe it was after she found out I was already seeing him. But I told her I had no problem ending the relationship if it bothered her, and Renee assured me it did not. Yet the second I gave her permission to make a pass at Calvin, she took it to the next level.

  Sighing heavily, I rolled onto my side and reached for the remote control. I wasn’t going to waste another second thinking about Renee, no matter how much I missed her.

  Besides, I didn’t need her. I had Chance.

  Remembering I had forgotten to get the mail, I climbed off the bed and moved downstairs and out the door. It was freezing, and without my coat, I was shivering by the time I made it back into the house.

  A cup of hot chocolate was just what I needed. I moved into the kitchen and popped a mug of hot water into the microwave. While it warmed, I thumbed through the mail. Bills. Electric. Gas. Macy’s credit card. I frowned at the last piece. A small pink envelope was addressed to me with no return address. I quickly tore it open and removed a small sheet of paper that was typed in all caps.

  BE CAREFUL OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP.

  My brow rose. What the hell did that mean? I flipped it over looking for a sender, and there wasn’t one. The postmark on the envelope showed that it had been mailed right here in Columbia. “Okay, someone’s playing games.”

  I wasn’t about to waste any more energy wondering who sent me the note. It was probably some kind of sales scam. I tossed it aside and moved to the pantry to get a package of hot chocolate.

  My phone rang. I reached over and picked up the receiver.

  “Hey, baby girl, how about Chinese tonight?”

  I exhaled at the sound of Chance’s voice. “That sounds wonderful.”

  “Go ahead and order from Lo Mein and I’ll pick it up on my way over. Just make sure you get some pork fried rice and egg rolls.”