It’s a large party at the rehearsal dinner. In addition to family and friends on both sides; Craig and Tinea also invited a few close work colleagues. Our eyes lock as soon as Simone enters the banquet hall, and her beautiful face turns into a scowl at the sight of Madeline next to me.
Deep seated joy takes root at her scowl, and I plan on utilizing it to my benefit.
Thought you were over it. Not bothered by insignificant Simone.
Simone’s hair is done with spiral curls down her back. She’s wearing a flush tight bodice dress, the skin tone mesh gives the illusion that she isn’t wearing anything underneath.
My hand reaches under the table, adjusting the tightening of my pants.
I hold her eyes captive for a minute too long. I see the hurt radiating off her irises at the sight of Madeline sitting here. With pursed lips, Simone turns away from me and strolls over to the seat adjacent to me.
As she begins to pull out the chair a voice says loudly, “God damn, Simone. Come sit over here.”
My eyes follow Simone’s line of sight as she glances behind her and looks at the man old enough to be her father. She turns and makes a beeline toward the man.
Damn, Bob—Craig’s uncle. When did they meet?
Everyone returns to their conversations.
“She sure can attract them,” Madeline notes. “I…” She pauses as I look at her with a tight lip.
Madeline and I have come a long way. She was there with my mom whenever I couldn’t be, aiding her with whatever she needed when Dad had to leave. I appreciate what she has done. But when it comes to Simone, Madeline still needs to learn to keep her mouth shut.
We’ve come so far. Don’t ruin a good thing.
I look back toward Simone; she’s still with Bob. I bring a glass of water to my mouth as she bends and kisses his bald head, then waves goodbye.
“I heard Bradley’s wife had their baby,” Madeline says
“He did; big healthy boy. He’s my godson,” I reply. April gave birth to a seven-pound, five ounces baby boy a little over a week ago. I’m happy he decided to grace the world before I had to leave for Paris. My hands trembled as I held Maddox in my arms and looked at his angelic face.
“That’s so sweet. I can see you being a father. You will be a great dad one day.”
Hopefully, but becoming a dad requires time to settle down and find a woman. I won’t have time for that any time soon. Besides the only woman I wanted to build a family with doesn’t want me.
My eyes shift up the table to Simone.
“How are your parents doing since the divorce?” I whisper.
“It still taking a toll on Mom. They seemed so in love, I never saw them argue or fight. I’m trying to wrap my head around it.” She shakes her head.
I feel Simone’s eyes on me. I turn my head and latch onto her hazels, as I am still whispering to Madeline.
Simone forces a smile, but can’t hang on as she looks between Madeline and me.
Her mouth set in a hard line, and she gives me a dirty look.
Bastard. How could you? I hear Simone’s snarky voice in my head.
“It will take time for your mom to heal.” I reply to Madeline. “Who would have thought he’d leave her for his assistant. I never suspected your dad was gay. Why did he hide it from you all for so long? Wish he would have been upfront and save the grief that he’s caused you and your mom.”
I hear a huffing sound.
“You’re talking to me, trying to provide me comfort, but your eyes are somewhere else. You can be such an ass.” Her breath tickles my ears.
I chuckle, turn, and bite at Madeline’s right ear.
Madeline is right. I’m giving all my attention to Simone instead of her. She came with me this weekend to get a break from being around her mom. Susan, Madeline’s mom, has been in a state of depression since her dad asked for the divorce. There she was worried about a woman stealing her husband. She had heard many stories from her friends of secretaries getting close to their bosses, hoping their affairs will lead to them being the new Mrs. Hell, some of her friends had experienced it and a few of them are the secretaries that became the Mrs.; that’s why Susan demand her husband only hire males. Only to find out, he was into men. Her husband had been sleeping with both his assistant and her at same time for eighteen months.
“When are you planning on going back to California?” I ask, giving Madeline my full attention. After attending Berkley, Simone decided to call California home. She moved to Los Angeles and started an organization company. She’ll be working with Mom to organize the new home.
“With everything going on, I’m thinking it’s best I come back to Florida and be with Mom during all this.” She gives me sad smile. “She needs me.”
“She does.” I place a chaste kiss on the side of her head. “Let’s enjoy the weekend and think about all that on Sunday.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I nod.
After dinner I plan for Craig to come with us men for his bachelor party. Craig requested no strippers because he didn’t want Tinea to have any but wishes are meant to be ignored. At bachelor parties, dancers are not invited solely for the grooms to enjoy. It’s for all the men.
Craig moves a few chairs down to sit next to me while his and Tinea’s friends and family mingle around the room.
“You prepared to have fun tonight?” I ask him.
“With the stress of planning this weekend, and Tinea becoming a bridezilla, I’m ready for some quiet and a glass of whiskey.”
I chuckle. Yeah, that’s the last thing on our agenda for him tonight.
I spot Tinea and Simone walking hand in hand toward us. Tinea walks around the table and plants her ass in Craigs lap.
Simone stands across from us with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.
“Tinea, no strippers,” Craig demands
“What happens tonight is none of your business. It’s the last time for us to get wild. Dicks can swing.” Simone clutches her chest in laughter.
If dicks can swing, asses can bounce.
“Babe, let me go. She is just joking,” Tinea says. Craig grips onto Tinea’s arm as he glowers at Simone.
I laugh to myself.
“Hi, Simone,” Madeline says. I give a side glance to Madeline.
What are you doing?
“Hello.” Simone smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She looks over her shoulder at the door, then turns her gaze back to Tinea. “Come on, the other ladies are waiting for us.”
Tinea kisses Craig, then rises from his lap.
“See you tomorrow, Mrs. Clarke,” he says as we watch the women who means more to us than life itself walk out the room in a fit of laughter.
Shortly after Tinea and Simone leave, I walk Madeline back to her room before going to mine and changing into a simple white polo shirt and blue jeans.
We pile into a stretch limo and drive over to Peppermint, an exclusive gentleman’s club in Miami. We’re shown to the Victorian style room upon arrival. The room as a green, black and gold scheme. There are red, French style, bed set couches and sofa chairs lined in a circular position. Two lighted stages with gold poles stands in the center of the room. In the corner is a seven foot back with four black swivel back chairs.
The room screams darkness and sin.
Lisa did a great job finding this place. She handles everything down to the required liquor to be on hand.
“I hope you guys didn’t get a stripper.” Craig adjusts the lapels of his jacket.
“Settle your ass, little brother,” Eric rattles. “Tonight, isn’t only about you, it’s mostly but not only,” Eric slurs, already drunk from the stash of alcohol in the limo.
“Yeah, it’s about me too.” Damion laughs. Damion is Craig’s second oldest brother. “I’ve been married so long I forgot what it’s like to have a fun guys’ night.”
“That’s the point; you’re married.” Craig shoves Damion. “I love Olivia.”
“I love my wife more,” Damion says. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see some ass shake. I ain’t sticking my dick in anything.”
I laugh.
“Who would have thought, you would have been capable of capturing such a dime piece,” Eric says to Craig out loud.
“I second that.” His other two brothers say in unison.
“Oh, thanks for the vote of confidence.” Craig points his middle finger toward them. “You all forgot in sixth grade, when I got Katy to go to the dance with me. The hottest girl in the school. I’ve always got game. The rest of you should take my masterclass.” He extends his middle finger at all the men in the room.
“Leave me out of it. I ain’t looking to get married any time soon.” I hold up my hand.
“Yeah, you’re still pining after Simone.” Lewis another one of Craig’s brothers turns to me with a smirk. “If I got a girl like that I would never let her go.”
“Your feeble ass wouldn’t know what to do with a girl with all that ass,” I shoot back at him. “You’d fumble and drop her ass.”
Everyone burst out in laughter.
After being served our drinks, a brunette and a blonde walk into the room with their hips swinging to the platform housing the poles.
The music changes from hip hop to something more sensual. The brunette begins to slowly walk around the pole. I sit back in the chair with a grin. Our eyes follow her every move.
“Ain’t I lucky, I have a bunch of alpha males in the room. All different varieties to choose from.” She licks her lips, then lifts her left leg and hooks it around the pole. “Let’s see if you could handle me.”
A few groans echo around the room as she swings her body in different positions on the pole in a beautiful art form.
“Damn,” someone groans.
We all watch as she meticulously and slowly discards each item of clothing from her luscious body, leaving a patch of cloth covering her intimate area. Her naked C-cup breast sit’s perfectly on her chest.
I bite down on my bottom lip before bringing my scotch to my mouth and downing the remaining content.
She walks across the room and pulls a chair over to the center. “Who is the bachelor?”
A couple hands point to Craig.
He puts his hands up and shakes his head no. “Tinea finds out, and I’m a dead man.”
“Stop being such a pussy already!” Eric shouts. “Get in the fucking chair.”
“I’m…”
Before Craig can finish his statement Lewis, another one of his brothers, sits in the chair. “Let’s go, it would be a shame to let a lap dance from you go to waste.” Lewis slouches in the chair and widens his legs. With his chin held high, he looks into the dancer’s eyes and says, “Do your worst.”
A grin comes to my face. This is going to be entertaining.
Craig enjoys the rest of the night and poking fun at his brother Lewis for looking like a man baby, the way he wrapped his arms around Sapphire, the dancer, as if he hadn’t been laid in years.
It was a great night, and no one got arrested.
The following day I stand next to Craig and watch tears stream down his face as Tinea walks down the aisle. My mind replaces Tinea’s face with Simone, imagining what it would be like if it was us getting married.
The wedding ceremony was gorgeous and quick. Tinea and Craig wrote their own vows which made it all the more special.
It’s now time for the wedding reception, and the bridal party gathers outside of the reception room, waiting for the DJ to announce each pairing then we will enter the room dancing the salsa. Simone and I never rehearsed, but I’m not worried; I know she’s an excellent dancer.
Our hips move from side to side as we glide across the room. I pull Simone’s body into mine, then dip her backwards, and lean over her with a smirk. I pull her back up and walk us over to her chair seated next to Tinea’s. I pull the chair out for her and push it in once she sits before claiming mine.
After the bridal party has taken their seats, everyone stands to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Clarke.
Shortly thereafter the toasting begins while dinner is being served.
“Let’s hear from Ryan, the best man,” the emcee calls over the mic.
I stand with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. “I met Craig when we were grouped together for a school project. Once the project was over I couldn’t shake him; he kept hanging onto me like I was his life support. And I shook hard, it’s like he was Gorilla Glue. Now looking back I’m happy he stuck on. He’s a man of integrity, class, smarts and must I say the best looking amongst the Clarke men.” I chuckle.
“Lies!” Lewis calls out. “Everyone knows it’s me.”
Everyone bursts out in laughter.
“I recall the first time Craig and Tinea met, he spotted her, and a few days after he told me he’s met his wife. I looked at him in disbelief. How could he be so sure, so quickly? I’ve come to learn the soul always knows when it finds its way home. When it finds its mate. The love Craig and Tinea have is special and beautiful. They personify the meaning of true love; they are patient with each other, kind, forgiving, they don’t keep records of each other’s wrongs. They protect each other; they have trust. Witnessing their love gives me hope. I know no matter what obstacles come their way, they will persevere because this type of love, their love, will never fail.” I lift my wedding glass. “To soulmates.”
Craig stands and gives me a bro hug. “Thanks man.” I take my seat and look down the table as Tinea calls my name. She throws me a kiss.
The emcee then calls on Simone, and I sit back in my chair and watch as she rises. I can sense her nervousness, the way her teeth worries at her bottom lip.
“Hi, I’m Simone. You can tell I’m the maid of honor based on my seating…” My mind drifts back to what I said about the soul knowing when it’s found its mate. I’ve known since I was eleven. My eyes zero in on her soft lips moving, without sound. I wonder how long it will take for her soul to recognize I’m her home. Will we ever be, or, are we meant to be in another lifetime?
My mind returns, catching the end of her speech. “To real fairytales and happily ever afters.”
I’m right here waiting with my hand stretched out if only you would take it, then we can live our own fairytale.
I watch Simone as she dances in the arm of another man, smiling up at him. Pain explodes in my chest.
“You want to dance?” Madeline asks.
“Sure.”
I take Madeline’s arm and lead her onto the dance floor. Simone’s eyes meet mine as we dance with different people. She looks away whispers into her boyfriend’s ear, then walks out of Craig’s and Tinea’s wedding reception.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to Madeline.
I walk into the hallway of the building in search of Simone. Where could she have gone? I stroll toward the ladies restroom sign. I lean against the wall opposite the door waiting for Simone to exit.
A smile dance on my lips as she walks out the bathroom.
She slips me a curious glance and walks back toward the reception.
“Simone, stop.” I pull on her hand.
“How can I help you?” She looks over shoulder and tugs on her hand.
“Give me a second?”
Her lips extend as she rolls her eyes.
“Please stop.”
She stops and hangs her head.
I grasp her hand in mine and walk down the hall, tugging at the door handles, trying to find one that’s unlocked. Not caring where the door leads. On my fourth try, the door opens. I pull Simone in and lock the door. My jacket instantly hits the floor. I pick her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist. I capture her mouth. Turning around, her back connects with the wall. My hand slips under her dress as our kiss deepens. Not able to get enough.
I feel the palm of her hand massaging my dick through my pants.
“Stop playing with it and take my dick out,” I growl.
I watch as she fumbles with unzipping my pants.
Meanwhile, my hands reach into the apex of her thighs, coming into contact with the material objecting me from reaching my goal. I rip the offending panties from her while her hand jerks me off.
This isn’t going to work.
I take my dick from her hand and rub it against her sleek slit, then slam it inside her.
“Fuck, Ryan,” she screams.
I bite her lips. “You feel it. No one will ever make you feel this good,” I growl the words, thrusting into her with a brutal pounding.
She moans as sweat beads her forehead.
I fuck her harder.
“Ryan!”
“Let them know who owns this pussy.”
A lion’s roar leaves me as I pour every ounce of cum inside her.
I pull out of her and lower her to the ground. Then tuck my dick back into my pants.
Simone straightens her skewed dress.
“What did we just do?” Her voice trembles.
“I fucked you.” I run my finger across my lip, still tasting her strawberry lips.
Terror flashes in her eyes. “My boyfriend and your girlfriend are down the hall.”
“Madeline isn’t my girlfriend; she’s a friend.” I laugh.
A line etches between her brows. “You guys are not together? Why did you bring her?” She looks heavenward. “Don’t answer that. I don’t really care.”
“Why are you with that guy? You don’t love him.”
“I love him.”
“Tell me you’re in love with him.” I prowl toward her. “Tell me.”
Her back hits the wall.
Her mouth falls open, then close, then open again. “I love him.”
My jaw hardens. “You are not in love with him. Why are you wasting your time? Instead of being with the one you love,” I snarl.
“I love him!” she yells.
Is she trying to convince me or herself?
“You are a fucking coward,” I bellow. “You are in love with me, but you’re scared I’m going to leave you like your dad did.”
“Fuck you, Ryan!” She pushes me. “How dare you?”
“Why the hell do I keep coming after you, yearning for you?” I throw my hands up. “I deserve better than you.” I storm out of the room.
Seeing her, feeling her in my arms, made me feel whole. But maybe love isn’t in the cards for me. Maybe she isn’t the one. Not everyone is as fortunate as Craig and Tinea to find and be with the one they love.
I walk up behind Madeline, who’s speaking to one of Craig’s brothers, and wrap my arm around her. “Let’s dance.”
We walk onto the dance floor. In the middle of the song, the music stops, and gasps are heard around the room. I follow everyone’s gaze to see Simone’s boyfriend down on one knee. A sharp pain rips through my body.
What the fuck is he doing?
I slowly walk through the crowd toward them.
“You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. You’re gentle, kind, caring, and forgiving. You’re everything I look for in a woman. My journey wouldn’t be complete without you. Simone, will you marry me?”
My fist clench as rage thrums through my veins.
Simone frantically looks around the room. She pins me with her eyes.
“Say no, say no,” I mouth.