"Precession," part 9

Parts 1 - 8

Part 9

          When I brought Orion Jr. home, I expected to see Phaedra huddled up with CJ, dirty dishes in the sink, rose petals and blankets on the floor, candles burnt low, residual music emanating from the speakers…any evidence that they spent the weekend fucking each other’s brains out.  I mean, that was what it would have been like if it were us having a weekend of makeup sex.  She answered the door and I was stunned to see her apartment spotless.  I didn’t like the way her eyes looked.

          “Hey,” she said to me.  Orion Jr. walked in and hugged her waist and she smattered his little face with kisses.  “How’s my baby?  What did you and Daddy do?  Did you go shopping?  What is all this?”

          Orion started talking a mile a minute, as boisterous six-year-olds do, compressing our weekend into a five-minute monologue as Phaedra led him into the apartment.  I closed the door and surveyed the rooms.  There was no sign of anything other than it appeared Phaedra spent the weekend alone.  If she did, CJ was a fucking fool.  If he didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, then he didn’t deserve her and he was going to make it far too easy for me to take her away from him.

          “Go put your stuff away.  Are you hungry, baby?”

          “No.  Daddy and me got lunch.”

          “Did you have a nap?”

          “No,” I said.  “He needs one; we’ve been going nonstop since eight this morning.  I took him to the zoo.”

          “Taz,” Phaedra said, kneeling to kiss his forehead.  “You need to go and take a nap.  Put your things away and leave your dirty clothes in your hamper and take a nap.  Mommy has to have a chat with Daddy, and then she’ll come in there with you.”

        He grinned.  “You don’t have to come in my room, Mommy.  You can talk to Daddy.”

          I grabbed his bags and carried them into his room while Phaedra removed his coat.  “Wash your face,” she said.

          When I came back out, Phaedra was in the kitchen.  I took off my coat and hung it up before joining her.  “He’s watching television.  He’ll be asleep in ten minutes.”

          “It looks like he had a good time this weekend.”

          “I did my best to make sure he did, Phaedra.”

          “Thanks, O.”

          “No need to thank me, Phaedra.  I have so much to make up for.  I can get him anytime, and you can drop him off at my house whenever you want.  He loves it there.”

          She smiled weakly.  “Good to know.”

          I decided to inform her.  “You may want to find out about Alexa at school.  Orion Jr. told me that she kisses him on the cheek every day.”

          Phaedra looked at me.  “What?”

          “He told me that some girl named Alexa likes kissing him.”

          “Some little skank is kissing my son?”

          “Phaedra, it’s harmless.  He mentioned it casually while he was drawing pictures.  I thought you should know.”

          “Why didn’t he tell me?  I didn’t know Taz knew anything about kissing.”

          “He knows more than you think.  Ask him about Alexa.”

          “Oh, I will,” she said.  “I’m not trying to have those little hoochies all up on my baby.”

          I smiled, changing the subject.  “Did you and CJ have that romantic weekend you planned?”

          She looked at me.  “We got into a fight and the weekend never took place.”

          “What did you want to do?”

          She looked out the window.  “I was making him a porterhouse and a large loaded baked potato and I was going to serve it in a French Maid’s costume, and then sit in his lap and feed him.  Then I was going to lead him into the living room and perform a striptease and get him to follow me to the bed.  And then I was going to smother him in sex.”

          I swallowed and then coughed.  Stupid fucking asshole.  “Phaedra, I have to ask…what the hell is his problem?  He can’t blame all this on me.  I haven’t done a thing to disrupt your relationship…other than…”

          She shrugged.  “I was telling him about all you did to make Taz welcome and how good it was for both of you to have private time together.  And that I was glad you are now in his life.  He got mad; he felt slighted because he’s been a father figure to Taz for two years.  I told him I never discounted or ignored his influence on my baby, and I was thankful for him.”

          “What?”

          “He thinks that I’ve become a completely different woman since you came back.”

          “In what way?”

          “I don’t know.  I guess it’s because I get a little nervous around you.  CJ sees it, he senses it, but I told him that he had nothing to fear.  He accused me of still being in love with you.  I told him, honestly, that I would always love you; just like I told you that night, but I wasn’t in love with you.  There are far too many unresolved issues between us for me to blindly fall back into your arms.”

          “He’s jealous.”

          “Yes.  My relationship with him is good, is strong—at least I thought it was—but it isn’t what we had.  I don’t expect that from him and he shouldn’t expect it from me.  I told him that, but maybe I should have never told him how it was between us.  He thinks that he’ll never truly have my heart because I gave it to you and you threw it away, and that I’m scared he will do it too.  I guess I do hold back at times, but I love CJ.”

          “Phaedra, I wish I could take it all back.  I wish I could undo your hurt.”

          “I’m not hurt anymore, Orion.  I got over you.  I moved on.  It was just a shock that you came back as suddenly as you left.  I admit, some stuff I thought was dead and buried came up when you knocked on my door.  I’m working it out, but apparently not fast enough for CJ’s sake.  Damn you for that, Orion.”

          “I’m sorry about this, Phaedra.  Did you break up with CJ?”
          “No.  I’ll just give him the space he needs and he’ll come back to me.  He’s angry, but he’s worth waiting for.”

          I walked up to her and put my arms around her.  She didn’t pull away and I kissed her forehead.  “If it means anything, I broke up with Nysha.  All I want is to establish a solid relationship with my son.  I won’t let anything stand between him and me.”

          She looked up at me, her eyes glassy.  “So help me, Orion…if you leave Taz again; if you walk away, if you lie to him, if you hurt him in any way…I will kill you, do you understand me?  He adores you; he thinks his Daddy can walk on water.  I will not have my child devastated if you decide to get a case of happy feet!  You’d better be certain that you are in his life to stay.  I don’t matter, but he does.”  She dug her fingernails into my chin and I groaned.  It turned me on.  “Don’t hurt our son.”

          “Phaedra, I’m not leaving him again.  I love my little boy.  I always have.  I’m in a position to take proper care of him, and of you.”

          “I don’t require it.”

          “I want to do it anyway.”  I started kissing her hairline and rubbing her arms.  “I want to take care of you.  I want to do what I should have done years ago.”

          She didn’t turn away as my kisses moved across her forehead.  Her skin was warm and smooth.  “I need you, Phaedra.”

          “Orion…”

          “You’re not pining away over CJ.”

          “I shed my tears.  Besides,” she said, lifting her face so that she could look at me and I could kiss her nose, “he’ll be back.  He left, but he didn’t leave.”

          I increased the pressure on her arms and moved my hands so that they were at her throat.  Her pulse beat like a hummingbird’s wings and she swallowed.  “I’m not leaving either,” I said.  “I don’t care what happens, Phaedra.  I’m not leaving you again.  I don’t care what you do.  I don’t care what you say.  I don’t care if you marry CJ.  I love you.  I’m not leaving you.”

          “How can I possibly believe a word you say, Orion?”

          I massaged her neck and kissed the skin underneath her beautiful eyes.  “You don’t have to.  I’ll show you.”

          “How can I ever trust you again?”

          I kissed the corners of her mouth and slid my veed fingers up to caress her earlobes and heard her moan softly.  Her ears were extremely sensitive.  “You have to let me earn it.  Have I given you any reason not to as far as our son is concerned?  Since I’ve been back?”

          “No,” she said, rubbing her nose against my chin.

          “Then give me a chance, Phaedra.  Please.”

          She gripped the collar of my shirt and moaned again.  “I hate you,” she murmured.  “I hate what you do to me, what you’ve done to me, what you did to me…”

          “Do you want me to stop?” I asked as I kissed the tip of her nose and then pressed a light one against her lips.  “I’ll stop if you tell me to stop.”

          A short, strangled gasp escaped her.  “I hate that I’m so stupid when it comes to you.  I hate that I’m so weak.  I thought I was over you, you bastard…”

Uhhh, no.

Interview with Joey Pinkney

I've been interviewed by Joey Pinkney, a book reviewer who specializes in reviews for authors of color. The interview is about The Sultry Court, as well as the genesis for Middle Child Press.  Do read and enjoy...

"Precession," part 8

Parts 1 - 7

Part 8

          Orion Jr. loved his room.  He was ecstatic over all of his new toys and video games and books.  Phaedra watched him run around laughing and shouting out the names of things he was most impressed with.  I stood next to her, thinking about how much I liked having a family, and how much I wanted us to be together.

Orion Jr.'s new bedroom

          “Daddy, this stuff is so cool!  Are we gonna play video games tonight?”

          “Yeah,” I said.  “Whatever you want.”

          “Don’t let him stay up past nine, Orion.”

          “I won’t.”

          “Make sure he brushes his teeth.”

          “I will.”

          “He forgets to wash behind his ears and floss his teeth.  You have to watch him.  He also forgets to apply lotion, and I don’t want him ashy.”

          “Phaedra, I’ll take care of our son.  I’ve been paying attention.”

          Orion Jr. settled in front of his new flat-screen, watching The Backyardigans.  “Can we have pizza for dinner?”

          “Sure can,” I said.

          Phaedra rolled her eyes.  “Baby, are you going to be okay?”

          “I’m fine, Mommy.”

          “You let him call me whenever he wants to, Orion.”

          “I will.”

          “Can I get a hug and kiss, Taz?”

Mommy good-bye kiss

          He got up and ran towards her, a grin splitting his face.  Orion crashed into Phaedra and hugged her.  “Love you Mommy.  I’ll be ok.”  She bent over and he kissed her cheek.  I checked out her ass again; it was practically second nature.  I was so hard up; it had been weeks since I last had sex.  I was practically living with blue balls and was a veritable monster to work for.  Sadao wanted to introduce me to a couple of his jump-offs just so I could blow off some lust, but Phaedra was the only one who was going to be the recipient of my barely-restrained passion.  I had no desire for any other woman but her, and Sadao teased me about being pussywhipped over pussy I hadn’t had in almost seven years.

          “Bye sweetie.  I’ll see you on Sunday, all right?”

          “Okay.”  He then skipped back to the bed and flopped on it, focusing on the TV.

          Phaedra gave me a quick smile and then left the room.  I followed her.

          “I’m not used to leaving him, Orion.  You’d better make sure he’s okay.  You let him call me anytime he wants to.  Don’t let him eat a lot of junk, make sure he washes his face, and don’t forget to turn on the night light—”

          “Phaedra,” I said, taking her by the arm.  “I got it.  Remember, I know his nighttime routine.  It’s been six months.  I know what to do.  He’s going to be fine.”

Phaedra

          She moved her arm and stepped away from me.  Since that day in my apartment, she had been very careful not to be alone with me.  She always made sure our son was in the room with us, and if he was available, CJ.  I noticed that the tension between her and CJ had dissipated and he seemed a lot more relaxed around me now.

          “Phaedra, it’s okay. But we need to talk about it, don’t you think?”  We both knew what “it” was.

          “It’s not okay, Orion.  And I gave you my final words on the subject that day.”

          “Do you really think that it’s over between us?”

          She shouldered her bag and buttoned her coat.  “It is.  I love CJ.  We are working out our problems and we’re getting married in a few weeks.  It was wrong of me to kiss you like that.  It was wrong of me to let you get a hand under my skirt.  I got caught up; lost my mind a little bit.  But it won’t happen again.  I’m not going to cheat on my fiancé.

          “Phaedra, you didn’t cheat.  We didn’t get that far, remember?”

          “And we won’t.”  She swallowed and looked away.  “I’ve got to go.  I’ll pick him up on Sunday afternoon.”

          “No, I’ll bring him home. He’s going to be fine, Phaedra.  Thank you for letting him stay with me.”

          She looked at me.  “Don’t fuck this up.”

          “I won’t,” I said.  “What are your plans for the weekend?”

          Phaedra looked down and her lips turned up in a small smile.  “Do you really want to know?”

          “Of course.”

          “Well, since I have a babysitter for the weekend, I’m going to have a romantic weekend with my future husband.  Things have been tense between us, and I’m hoping that some good quality time and even better sex will help to set things right.  I’m going to feed him, seduce him and fuck him.  Is that okay with you, Orion?” she teased.

          It startled me and I coughed.  “No.”  I was irritated and my dick hurt.  “I don’t want to hear about you doing that to another man.”

          “Tough.  Please have my child home by 4:00.”  She turned and walked out, leaving me standing in the middle of the room.

Orion is not happy about Phaedra's weekend plans.

          Orion Jr. wanted to draw pictures on the floor with his new art set.  I sat with him, watching the playoffs, eating popcorn and riffling his hair.  He asked me if I would get a Mohawk and that was the one time I had to deny my kid.  We sat in relative silence and I was enjoying just being with my son, when he said, “Why doesn’t CJ like you, Daddy?”

          I shrugged.  “We don’t really know each other.”

          “I hear him and Mommy fight about you.”

          “Really?”

          “He says she acts different when you’re around.”

          “Different how?”

          He shrugged.  “I don’t know.  CJ thinks that Mommy loves you.”

          “Naah,” I said.  “Mommy loves CJ.  She’s going to marry him.”

          “What’s marry?”

          “Marry is when two people decide they want to be together forever, and they wear rings and live in the same house.” 

          Orion was busy drawing what looked like Phaedra.  “I like CJ,” he said.  “He’s funny and he practices taekwondo with me.  He likes kissing and touching Mommy.  He makes Mommy laugh.  But you’re my Daddy.  Mommies and Daddies should live in the same house.”  The kid was matter-of-fact.

          I looked at my son.  He’d seen Phaedra making out with CJ?  “Does Mommy know you saw her kissing CJ?  What do you know about kissing?”

Father and son

          He grinned at me.  “Alexa at school likes to kiss me on the cheek.  But CJ doesn’t kiss Mommy on the cheek.  And no, Mommy doesn’t know.  She thinks I’m in my room.  But sometimes when I have to go to the bathroom, I see them kissing on the couch.”  Orion continued to draw as if it didn’t bother him.  “Sometimes he has his hands under her shirt.”

          “Okay,” I said, my voice a little shrill.  “You’re spying on Mommy when you’re supposed to be asleep, little man.  Don’t do that.  It’s not nice.”

          “I didn’t mean to, Daddy.  I have to pee sometimes.”

          “I understand.  Don’t tell Mommy that you saw her kissing CJ.  And certainly don’t tell her you saw CJ’s hands under her shirt.  Mommy would not like that.”  I didn’t like it.

          “Can I ask you something?”

          “Sure.”

          “Do you kiss Mommy too?”

          “Why would you ask that?”

          “Well, because you’re my Daddy.  Daddies kiss Mommies all the time.”

          “Where did you get that from?”

          “From the kids at school and on TV.  Sometimes I sit with Mommy when she watches television.  I read books and color, and I see Mommies and Daddies kiss on the TV.”

He was a smart little cookie; I had to give him that.  “Mommy loves CJ, so Mommy kisses CJ.  Now, let’s change the subject.  What are you drawing?”

          “Mommy.  I’m going to draw me and you too.”

          “Are you going to draw CJ?”

          “No.”

          “Why not?  I thought you liked CJ.”

          “I do.  But he’s not my Daddy.”

          I stroked his hair.  I was not about to argue with my son.

I really do want this man.

"Precession," part 7

Parts 1 - 6

Part 7

I wanted to break it to her easy, so I had Jade’s master chef prepare a quiet dinner for us, and had my housekeeper decorate the dining nook with candles and low lights.  Nysha and I had been on the outs for a few weeks, and there was no point in dragging it out.  I was already wondering if she had found another man; someone who wanted to be with her in the ways I no longer wanted to be.  Truth be told, I didn’t care.  I wanted her to be happy, but she wouldn’t be if she stayed with me.

Dinner for Nysha

She entered the kitchen, flawless as usual.  I stood up and pulled out her chair.   “Have dinner with me, Ny,” I said.  “I had the chef make your favorite.”

She sat down and tossed her hair out of her face.  “I’d much rather you cut the crap and get straight to the real, Orion.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“That you’re dumping me.”

“I’m not dumping you.  I made a decision, and you don’t like my decision.”

Flawless Nysha

“Orion, I’m sorry I said that.  Give me a chance.  I’m sure I could learn to like your kid.”

“You already showed your hand, Nysha.  No point in trying to renege.”

“Orion, I love you.  I don’t want this.  You haven’t touched me in weeks!”

“How can I?  You hate my son; a child you’ve never met.  So, by default, you hate me.  I can’t be with a woman who hates me.”

“Please, O!  We can work this out!  Give me a chance; let me meet the kid.”

“No,” I said.  “I told you, your first words on the subject represented your true feelings.  I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.  Let’s just go ahead and call this what it is: the end.  I’m sure you’ll have another sugar daddy within a week, if you don’t already.”

“Orion!”

“Have I presumed too much?”

“Do you love me at all?”

“I care about you, Ny, but I never loved you.”

She wiped her eye.  “So this is it?”

Nysha doesn't want to lose her man

“Yes,” I said.  “My son will have his first visit this weekend, so I need your stuff out by Thursday night.  I’ve made arrangements for you to stay in the Rampart for two months so you can get on your feet.  Rent and utilities paid.”

“How magnanimous.  This isn’t about the kid, is it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“This thing.  It’s not about your son.  It’s about his mother.  You want her, don’t you?”

“Nysha, that has nothing to do with anything.  We can’t stay together because you don’t want my son around.  His mother has nothing to do with this.”

“You’re such a liar, Orion.  You haven’t been able to get it up for me in weeks, and you do not suffer from erectile dysfunction!  You’re fucking her, because you certainly aren’t fucking me!”

“Nysha, she is engaged to another man.  I told you.  I’m not sleeping with my son’s mother.”  I would if I could, that much I was certain of.

“So, what’s wrong with you?  There was a time, not long ago, when you would nail me to the wall if I so much as crooked my little finger in your direction!  Now I can shove my pussy in your face and your dick won’t even twitch!  Explain that!”

“I can’t.  I just haven’t felt like having sex.”

“Don’t treat me like an idiot, Orion.  I deserve the truth.  You want to fuck her, don’t you?  If you haven’t yet, you want to!  What, does she have a platinum pussy or something?  Because I assure you, it cannot be as good as this!”  She pointed between her legs.  “Tell me the truth, Orion.  Are you sleeping with her?”

I looked Nysha dead in the eyes.  “No.” 

“Fucking liar,” she said.  “I’ll come back for my shit!”  She got up and stormed out.  I sighed and started eating my dinner of lobster tail and grilled vegetables.  That afternoon in my apartment, Phaedra and I had kissed like it was six years ago and we were never separated.  I pushed her against the wall and my hands were all over her.  She held on to me; our bodies were crushed together and I felt the pebbling of her nipples and I know she felt my rock-hard dick.  I hooked my arms around her legs and lifted her, pushing her dress above her hips.  I caressed her thighs and grabbed her ass while we kissed, and I once again implored her to tell me to stop…stop…stop…and she didn’t, so I licked two of my fingers and slipped them inside her panties.  The minute I touched her vagina, her eyes snapped open and she stopped kissing me.

          “Orion!”

Love of his life

          “What?” I said, horny beyond belief.  “What?  You always let me play with your pussy when we kiss like this!”

          “No,” she said, turning away and smoothing her dress. “It was a mistake.   I let it go too far.  I’m sorry; I didn’t mean for that to happen, O.  I need you to take me back to my car so I can go home to my man and my kid.”

          I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths.  Two more seconds and I would have had her clit in my mouth and sucked both her and myself into a blissful orgasm.  “All right.  You can use the hall bathroom and straighten yourself up.”

          She nodded and nearly ran into the bathroom.  I went into my bedroom and closed the door.  I couldn’t help it; I grabbed Nysha’s baby oil and masturbated to climax.  Then I cleaned myself up and met her in the hallway.  She was staring at me.

          “I apologize, Orion.  I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry that I let it go that far.  I’m not a tease.  I love CJ.  I do.  I love him and I’m going to marry him.  I just lost my head for a moment.”

          “You almost lost your clothes,” I replied.  “Don’t tell me that it didn’t feel good; us kissing like that.  And don’t tell me that you don’t want more.”

          “I won’t,” she said.  “Let’s forget it happened.  Come on, let’s go.”

I would have given it up.

          “You’re crazy.  I can’t forget that kiss, and all I want is to kiss you again. CJ doesn’t do it like me, does he?  I bet…I bet that he doesn’t do everything you want him to; you have to settle in some regard, don’t you?  Come here, Phaedra.  Come to me and let this thing play out.” 

          “No,” she said.   “I admit that I lost my head.  I admit that I still find you appealing.  But it doesn’t mean anything, Orion.  We were always sexually compatible; too much so.  However, I am in love with CJ and I won’t do that to him.”

          “One day you will, and we both know it.  I’m crazy about you,” I said.  “I’m going to make it hard for you, Phaedra.  You know that you belong with me.”

          “You’re being an arrogant asshole, Orion.  I’ll forget that you said those words and please, take me back to my car.”

          I put my coat on and drove her back to her job.  The next time we got anywhere close to kissing, she would be mine and CJ would never get her back.

"Precession," part 6

Part 1      Part 2      Part 3     Part 4     Part 5

Part 6

          I wanted Phaedra to see where I lived.  We had been discussing the possibility of Orion Jr. spending weekends with me, and she absolutely refused to do it until she got a look at my place.  I offered to pick her up from work and take her to my apartment after making sure that Nysha wouldn’t be around.  She reluctantly agreed, and I picked her up in the Range Rover.

          I opened the door for her and helped her inside.  “Nice car,” she remarked.  “You must be doing well at that restaurant.”

Phaedra

          When I got in and started the truck, I shrugged.  “I guess.  It’s popular, especially during championship time.”

          She removed her gloves and crossed her legs as we left the parking lot.  “How in the world did you become a restaurant manager, Orion?  I never saw you doing that.”

          That was one of the reasons why I wanted to pick her up.  Phaedra and I never got to talk; most of our conversations were limited to Orion Jr.  She had been very careful to restrict our dialogue to just our son; that night in her kitchen made it perfectly clear that she still had feelings for me.  I didn’t push her, but I knew that if I could get her alone and reassure her that all was well, maybe we could work out our issues.  Either way, I was dead set on winning her back.

          “I didn’t either, Phaedra.  I was fortunate to meet a guy who hooked me up with the right people.  The old owner was looking for someone to groom to take over, and our mutual friend gave him my name.  He sent me to night school while I worked during the day.”  I was very careful with my word choice; Seiichi Ishiguro had indeed sent me to school to get a degree in management while I worked alongside Daisuke, the former capo.  Daisuke was to be promoted and I was in line to take his place, and learning how to run the Southeast territory through Jade’s was part of my responsibilities.

          “Do you like it?”

          “I do.  There are times when I’m really busy, but that will never ever get in the way of my time with Orion Jr., Phaedra.”

          She stared out of the window.  “His name is Quintaz.”

          “Why did you name him that?”

          “You left me,” she said.  “I was angry.”

          “Would you consider changing it?”

Orion

          “No,” she said.  “He’s six.  I’m not just going to up and change his name in the middle of first grade.  And I don’t want to confuse him.”

          “I want him to have my name, Phaedra.”

          “Tough,” she replied.  “You should have stuck around and made sure that he got it.  Anyway, back to our original conversation.  I’m glad that you found something that you like to do, and I know you’re good at it.  I’m glad that you have control over your schedule.  I’m glad that spending time with our son is your priority.  He adores you.”

          “I’m in love with him too,” I said.  “He’s a great kid, Phaedra.  You did such a good job.”

          She looked at me.  “Are you seeing someone?”

          I looked at her.  “Yes.”

          “What’s her name?”

          “Nysha.  She lives with me.”

          Phaedra bit her lip.  “I don’t know if I want another woman around Taz, O.”

          “You don’t even have to worry about that, Phaedra.  I told Nysha weeks ago about my son and made it clear that he was going to be an active part of my life.  She’s not happy about it, which means we’ll be breaking up soon.”

          “You would do that?”
          “For my child?  Yes.  I can get another girlfriend, one who isn’t so selfish and doesn’t hate the idea that I might care about someone else more than her.”

          She looked away.  “I appreciate that.  I know that was hypocritical of me to say, considering that I have a fiancé, and he’s around Taz a lot.  But he doesn’t live with us.”

          “Phaedra, you don’t have to explain.  I get it.”

          “I knew that you weren’t single,” she said.  “You couldn’t be.”

          “I was for a long time,” I said.  “Nysha and I have been together nearly two years.”  I stopped at a red light and reached over to grab Phaedra’s hand.  I rubbed her palm with my thumb and she looked at me, her eyes wide.  “I knew I would never ever find another woman like you, baby.  I didn’t even try.  Nysha doesn’t come close and I don’t have with her what I had with you.”

          Phaedra looked at me and swallowed.  Then she pulled her hand out of mine and looked out the window again.  “To be fair, Orion, I don’t have with CJ what we had.”  Then she glared at me.  “And I’m not supposed to because CJ is not you!  Stop!”

          “Stop what,” I said, moving through the light.  “What do you want me to stop, Phaedra?”

          “Stop seducing me, Orion!  You keep bringing up the past; reminding me of what it was like…stop that!  What I have with CJ is good, and I’m sorry you don’t have that with your girl, but that is not my fault!”  

          I turned into my building’s garage and parked in my space.  Then I got out of the car and opened Phaedra’s door.  She shouldered her bag and I escorted her to the elevator.

          “You live here?”

          “Yeah,” I said.  “The guy who owns Jade’s also owns this building, so I got a nice little discount on the rent.”

          “Convenient.”

          “You’ll think so when you see the view I have from my living room.”

          A few minutes later, Phaedra was standing in front of my picture window, gazing out at the skyline. 

Orion's apartment

          “Orion?”

          “Like it?”

          “It’s beautiful.”

          “Come, let me show you around.”

          I kept things minimal like most men, but here and there were touches of Nysha, as well as pictures.  But they were tasteful.  Phaedra stopped at the foyer table and picked up a silver picture frame of Nysha and me.

          “Orion, she’s gorgeous.  Haven’t I seen her somewhere?”

          “She models from time to time.”

          “She’s…wow!  I didn’t know you were into all this…”

          “I’m not.”

Nysha

          “Then why are you with her?”

          “I don’t know anymore.  Come on, let’s see Orion’s room.”

          She put down the picture.  “Don’t call him that.”

          “As far as I’m concerned, that’s his name.”

          Phaedra glared at me as I opened the door to our son’s new bedroom.  When I told him that I was going to fix up a bedroom for him at my house, he told me that he wanted to have an Iron Man theme.  I asked him why not Spider-Man, he said that he already had it and he liked Iron Man too.  I wasn’t about to deny my son anything, and so I went overboard in decorating his room.

          “Iron Man?”

          “He told me that was what he wanted.”

          “Hmm.”  Phaedra moved into the room, touching things, studying the furniture, gazing at the entertainment system in the corner.  I bought an X-box and a Playstation, and as many games as I could find that I knew Orion would like and that Phaedra would approve of.

          “He has clothes in the closet as well, and his own bathroom.”

          Phaedra examined each area while I waited.  When she came out of the bathroom, she had a grin plastered all over her face.  “I love it.  Taz is going to be so happy with all of this.  You’re spoiling him, Orion.  How am I supposed to keep up?”

          “I don’t intend for Orion to go without anything anymore, Phaedra.”

          The smile left her lips.  “Don’t call him that.”

          “Why not?”

          She looked away.  “It’s bad enough that he looks just like you.”

          I moved towards her.  “Is that it?”

          Phaedra held up her hands in a warding-off gesture and walked around me and out of Orion’s room.  I followed her. 

          She was back in the foyer, taking her coat out of the hall closet.  “I need to go home, Orion.  CJ is picking Taz up from taekwondo, and I need to make sure dinner is—”

          I came up behind her and put my hands on her shoulders.  She went utterly still.  “He won’t get home until 5:30, Phaedra.  It’s 3:15.  There’s time.”

          “Orion, I need to go home.”

          “Tell me why you don’t want me to call our son by his real name?”

          “You know why.”

          I stepped closer, taking in her light fragrance, and rubbed her forearms.  “I want you to tell me.”

Phaedra & Quintaz, or Orion Jr.

          “Orion, don’t be a bastard.  How can you possibly think it was easy for me to look at our child and give him your name when he looks exactly like you?  There isn’t a lick of me anywhere!  I told you before that there were days when I couldn’t stand the sight of him.  I couldn’t do that and hear your name come out of my mouth too!  It’s unfair!” 

          “I’m sorry, baby,” I said, and kissed the back of her ear.  “I’m sorry that I hurt you so badly.  Forgive me, Phaedra.  I promise, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you will absolve me of that one mistake.”

          “You make it sound as if it were as insignificant as leaving the toilet seat up.  And I already forgave you, and the only person you need to do right by is Quintaz.”

          I was right up against her, pressing into her and noting, with amusement and arousal, that she had not moved.  I knew she could feel me and I ached so bad I felt like I could cream my jeans. 

          “If you’ll take me back, I will give you everything, Phaedra.  Don’t you know that you’re the only one for me?  My heart has always belonged to you.  I’ve never been able to get you out of my head and I never tried to.  I wasn’t worthy of you before, but I can make it right.  Come back to me, Phaedra.  I love you.  I need you.  I can’t do this without you, not anymore.”

          I started kissing her neck while kneading her arms.  She whimpered and leaned her head to one side.  I covered her exposed neck and shoulder with hot kisses as my grip tightened on her arms.

          “Orion,” she moaned, wriggling against me.

          “I know that you still love me, Phaedra.  And I don’t mean in the baby’s father respect.  I know that you want me, that you long for me just like I do you.  I know that you care for CJ, but it’s me that you need.  You know that there is a part of you that he can never have because it’s mine.  You know that I’m putty in your hands; that I’m so crazy for you that I don’t know where I end and you begin.  Stop this charade, baby.  Come back to me.  I won’t ever hurt you again.”

          My hands were at her waist and I was wedged right up against her soft ass.  I couldn’t stop kissing her neck and couldn’t stop putting my heart on blast.  I was so weak, so stupid when it came to Phaedra; the men in my crew would not believe it if they ever found out about it.

          “Orion…”  Her hands covered my own.  “Orion…please.”

          “Leave him,” I said.  “Leave CJ.  You’re going to hurt him if you stay with him, Phaedra.  You know this.  Look at us…you know this is right…”

          Our fingers linked and she leaned into me.  She wore a sweater dress that clung in all the right places, black tights and knee-high Gucci pony hair boots.  She smelled of jasmine and she was so soft and so hot that I was losing my mind.  I hadn’t intended to seduce Phaedra, but now I couldn’t stop thinking about making love to her. 

          She made no move to stop me; in fact, was grinding me.  “Orion…”

          My hands went up and slid over her chest.  I cupped her breasts and thumbed her nipples, which sprang up like weeds after a fresh rain.  “Tell me to stop and I will stop,” I said.

          She felt so good.  I turned her around and kissed her.  She threw her arms around me and kissed me back.  I was out of my mind, and it seemed that she was too.  CJ’s days, along with Nysha’s, were numbered.

Irresistable