Chapter 17
“I’m so glad you and Michael came over for dinner tonight. I’ve been feeling so bad about the whole debacle at your announcement dinner, and I know you all have been going through it,” Karli’s mom said as she and Karli prepped the salads.
Karli looked up. “And just how do you know that?”
Her mother stopped chopping up the tomatoes and looked at her daughter. A flushed look came over her face. “Catrina told me. Please don’t be upset with her.”
Shaking her head, Karli continued chopping the eggs to place in the salad. “It’s okay now. We’re getting back to us.”
“I was worried, and so were Michael’s parents—”
Karli shot her a glare. “Ma! You told them?”
“Don’t take that tone with me, young lady,” she huffed, and Karli recoiled. “No, Michael confessed to them about your marital issues, and they called me to see if we knew what was going on. I figured I’d interfered enough, so I wasn’t going to butt in.”
Karli laughed on the inside. That was code for her dad told her mom to leave them alone. When it came to other people’s business, her parents were polar opposites. Her dad had his hands full trying to keep her mom in line, but he managed to do so, for the most part; and if anyone appreciated that right now, it was Karli. Her mother was the best at getting information, and the last thing she needed was for her mom to get wind of Hudson.
“So how is your new position coming along?” Karli’s mom asked.
Speak of the devil.
“It’s going great. My accounts have been extremely successful.”
“As they should be,” Michael said, entering the kitchen. “She’s been burning the midnight oil, like, literally every day.”
“Really?” Karli’s mom said with surprise.
Michael nodded, picked up a cucumber slice, and stuffed it in his mouth. “Even had to spend the night in the city a month or so ago, as she’d been working so late.”
Karli’s mom looked over at Karli with a raised eyebrow. “Really?”
Karli shook her head and put her hand up. “I worked late, and there was a bad wreck on the FDR. That’s the reason why. It’s no big deal.”
Her mom shrugged and shot a side glance at Karli.
Karli shrugged and began dumping the remaining toppings into the salad bowl.
“Baby, will you and Dad set the plates?” Karli asked Michael.
Michael bent down and pecked her on the lips. “Anything for you, baby.”
Once he left the kitchen, Karli turned, and her mom was standing there, holding a bowl in her hands. She gave Karli a blank stare.
“Here. Make sure this is on the table. And make sure that work is not interfering in your marriage.”
After taking the bowl, Karli walked out and muttered, “I already did.”
Dinner with her parents was great. As usual, Karli and her dad went back and forth about politics and work, and then her dad and Michael got into their usual banter about football. As the men enjoyed themselves, Karli helped her mother clean up the kitchen.
“So how are things really going between you and Michael?” her mom asked.
Karli shrugged as she rinsed a plate. “It’s going. Like I said earlier, we’re trying to get back to us. It takes time.”
Her mom nodded. “That it does, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s that that man loves himself some you. I’m not saying not to take your time with things. I’m just saying to remember the love.”
Rolling her eyes, Karli turned to face her. “I do remember the love. That’s why we’re trying.”
Her mom sighed. “You’re so much like your father, so rational. Love isn’t rational, Karli. Love just is. Remember that.”
Karli decided not to say anything more, and they finished up in silence.
* * *
Although dinner had been great, Karli felt drained afterward. Her mother always had a way of prying that kept her on edge. With all that had happened with Hudson, she really couldn’t tolerate the third degree from her mom. As soon as she got the opportunity, she was definitely going to talk to her little hummingbird friend about keeping her business to herself.
While Michael handled a last-minute business call, she decided to jump in the shower. As the water from the showerheads cascaded down her back, her mind roamed back to Hudson. She tried to block her thoughts of him, but the ache in her honey pot sent thoughts of him crashing into her mind. She hadn’t been with him in a month, hadn’t seen him privately in a month, and had talked to him only twice, both times in a group setting and about business, but the treasure between her legs remembered him like it was yesterday. It didn’t help that she and Michael had agreed not to have sex in order to reestablish their relationship and closeness. Right now, the only closeness she needed was the warmth of girth between her legs.
As thoughts of Hudson consumed her, she toyed with her nipples, gliding her fingers back and forth over them as they hardened. Imagining his lips on her breasts, she cupped her left one, tilted it upward to meet her mouth, and sucked gently on it. A low moan escaped her lips as she imagined it was Hudson’s mouth encircling her aching melons. Cupping her breasts and moving from the left one to the right, she continued her playful taste test as her flower began to thump between her legs.
“Mmm,” she moaned, closing her eyes and leaning against the tile wall of the shower. After propping her foot on the shower seat and bracing one hand on the glass, she placed her free hand between her thighs and swirled her forefinger around her bud. The motion enhanced her senses, and she stuck her middle finger inside her wetness.
“Ooh . . . aah,” she moaned softly, working the middle.
She removed her finger, placed it in her mouth, and suckled it. Her juices tasted so good to her. An image of Hudson appeared in her mind, and she inserted three fingers and began working her center rapidly. Her climax rumbled as she began creaming, and her essence dripped down her hand. Her breathing turned hard and labored as she felt a mini explosion about to happen.
She let out a low growl, then hissed, “Hudson,” softly as she reached her peak.
Her eyes were closed so tight that she was beginning to see spots. She carefully put her foot down to balance her weakened legs. She was literally delirious from satisfaction, but now she was truly on fire. She hurriedly finished her shower. She had to clear her mind, because thoughts of Hudson had her ready to go AWOL from her marriage, and she couldn’t do that to Michael.
After moisturizing her skin, she wrapped herself in a towel and went into the closet to put on a fresh pajama set. She didn’t even hear anything when Michael entered the closet. He walked up to her and kissed the side of her neck.
“Hmm, what a beautiful sight to see,” he whispered in her ear.
Instantly, her bud thumped again, and though she knew it was wrong, she would have to make love to Michael tonight to clear her head, satisfy her urges, and solidify their marriage. Without warning, she turned, dropped her towel, pulled him to her, and kissed him hungrily.
Michael moaned against her. “Baby, not that I don’t want this,” he said as he watched her unbuckling his pants, “but I thought we were going to wait.”
“The wait is over.” She giggled huskily as his pants fell to his ankles. Before he could say another word, she pulled his face to hers and captured his lips in a deep kiss filled with longing.
Michael kicked out of his pants, getting sucked up into the moment with her. His breathing turned rapid as Karli wrapped her arms around his neck. After he placed his hands around her butt and picked her up, Karli wrapped her legs around his waist, and they continued their feverish kissing. He carried her into their bedroom, placed Karli on her back on the bed, and hurriedly began to take off his sweater and boxer briefs. Karli decided to give her man a little show, and she spread her legs and began massaging her clit as he watched with lustful eyes.
“Karli,” he said, his voice deep. “What are you doing?”
“Giving you a show.” She giggled sexily. “You like?”
Inhaling, he could only nod as he peeled off his remaining clothes and climbed in the bed with his wife. Holding her close, he traced his finger along her jawline. “I love you, baby. I’m gonna make love—”
Karli interrupted him by placed her index finger on his lips. She replaced it with a sensual kiss and skillfully flipped Michael on his back. There would be time for lovemaking. Right now, she just needed a good ride on his stick. Something she’d never gotten a chance to experience. She straddled him, and Michael gripped her hands to stop her from slipping him inside her.
“Karli, I want to make love to you. What are you doing?”
“Call it making love, Michael,” she said, getting a little irritated. “Let me do this. Let’s try something new.”
He shook his head. “New, but not this, Karli. We can do something else. Foreplay or something.”
Karli snaked her hands around his neck. “Come on, baby. It might be fun.”
Michael removed her hands from around his neck. “No, Karli, let’s just do our thing. It’s our first time in so long. Let’s keep it sweet and special.”
Karli pulled her arms back and rubbed her forehead. “Okay, what is your problem with any of this? I mean really, Michael.”
Michael moved her off him. “Are we seriously going to have a discussion about this?” He got out of the bed and looked back at her.
She threw her hands on her hips. “Yes, we are. I need to know what the problem is so we can try to get back to us.”
“That’s the problem,” he hollered. “This ain’t us! You’re fondling yourself and wanting to do all kinds of freaky stuff. I like freaky stuff. I’m a man, but I didn’t marry a freak. I married a woman. You’re my wife, Karli, not some ho I wanna beat down!”
“You had no problem treating me like a ho that night you demanded and took sex from me like I was a trick!” she yelled, jumping out of bed.
Michael shook his head. “Wow. So we’re back to this. I’ve apologized, and you said you’d forgiven me and let it go, but now you want to throw it in my face just because I’m telling you that’s how I don’t want to treat you.”
Karli threw up her hands. “I did forgive you for it, Michael. It’s not about that. There’s a difference when I want to satisfy you. You’re the one making a big deal out of me wanting to please you. I’m your wife, Michael. That’s my job.”
Michael sighed and approached her, then pulled her to him by the waist. “You do please me. That’s why I said you don’t need to do all of that. Let’s just do our thing. This isn’t us. Let me put it on you and knock you out the way only I know how to do.”
How could she tell her husband that she wasn’t satisfied? That she was sexually frustrated? She wanted to be with him, but that old-school missionary style was old and tired. She needed to feel wanted and like she was pleasing both of their desires to be fulfilled. It bothered her that other women he’d been with had gotten to experiment and try new things with her husband, but she had never even gone for a ride on his magic stick. He cherished her so much that he was smothering her.
Feeling as though her pleas would be ignored, she simply agreed, and Michael smiled brightly and kissed her with vigor. He picked her up and laid her back on the bed. Admiring his wife, he lay on top of her and slid into home. Karli could only close her eyes and imagine that she was enjoying it, so that she could satisfy her husband. Too bad it was unfulfilling for her.
* * *
Michael rubbed his eyes as the constant vibrating of his cell startled him. Focusing, he reached for the phone just as memories of last night invaded his mind. He smiled as he thought of the passionate love he’d made to his wife.
“Yeah?” he answered groggily.
“From the sounds of it, you’re still asleep, so I guess I should assume you have no plans to come in today, right?” Bryson asked. “Sounds like you had a good night.” He chuckled.
Michael jumped up and looked at the clock. It was 9:30 a.m. He hit his forehead and looked over at Karli’s empty side of the bed. Apparently, she was up and out and had left him in bed, asleep. He smiled to himself and lay back against the pillows.
“Yeah, man. My bad. I’ll be in at about noon. Tell Stephanie to reschedule my appointments today.”
“Who’s your man?” Bryson quipped. “It’s already done. And you didn’t answer my question about last night.”
“That’s ’cause you didn’t ask one,” Michael joked as he rubbed his hand down his face. “All I’m gonna say is Karli and I are all good.”
Bryson howled. “My man! You’re back in there!”
They laughed in unison.
“So where is she?” Bryson asked. “I don’t want to wake up Sleeping Beauty.”
Michael sighed. “She left for work already. I’m just here recuperating.”
Bryson paused. “Not knocking your skills, but ain’t that supposed to be the other way around?”
“Fu . . . You almost made me lose my religion! Forget you, man!” Michael laughed. “You know this new position has her stretched out. Besides, I was putting in a lot of work.”
“A’ight! A’ight! I feel you,” Bryson joked and then got serious. “Seriously, though, are you sure you two are goody?”
“Yeah, man. We’re all good. Karli and Michael are back.”
“Good, bro! I’m glad, for real. Listen, get your beauty rest, and I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Funny! Bye, ninja.”
Michael hung up, sat on the edge of the bed, and checked his phone. No texts or calls from Karli. Not even a note. If she weren’t his wife, he’d feel like a one-night stand. He shook his head. After last night he was sure things would get back on track, but he had a sinking feeling that things still weren’t quite right between them. He just couldn’t get down with this new Karli and wished she’d get back to the wholesome, sweet, demure woman he’d married. Maybe he was tripping because they had been so out of touch lately. Taking a deep breath, he prayed that he was wrong and that everything he’d just told Bryson was the truth.