They went to a bar two blocks away, found a quiet spot, and ordered drinks. Troy ordered some appetizers that they both picked at while they talked.
“So, was I crazy, or did I detect some tension a little while ago in my office?” Crystal asked. “I didn’t mean to start any trouble by having Vanessa in the magazine. I get the sense that you don’t approve.”
Troy sighed. He looked at Crystal for a few moments, pondering whether or not he should be completely honest. He wanted her to understand a few things. But there was also a lot he didn’t want her to know.
“It’s like this,” he began. “Everything in my family is about image. I’m learning a lot about how my dad represents my family to the people he works with. I speak to the staff and they all have this idealistic view of who we are. Like … yesterday, I talked to Marlo Stanton. She told me that my father always brags about my degrees and the fact that I went to an HBCU.” Troy laughed. “I went to Howard for one semester. Then I transferred to Columbia, where I earned my degrees. But, if you didn’t know better, you would think I was the poster boy for historically black colleges.” He shook his head. “My father is the king of urban marketing and promotion for a reason. His conversations are like mini–press conferences, full of…”
“Shit?” she offered.
He laughed. “I’m not saying that. But my relationship with Vanessa isn’t … what you might think.”
Crystal set her drink down, wondering where this was going.
He shrugged a little. “I guess … look.” He sighed. “I know I don’t have to go into the details of my private life.”
Crystal nodded.
“But I’m not like my father. I like to tell it like it is.”
Crystal nodded. He had her full attention. She felt like she was getting a coveted peek behind the curtain of the closely guarded Mitchell clan. She was mesmerized. She sipped her drink. She had always known that Fox’s carefully crafted façade of a family wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. In all the time they had worked together, Fox had spoken of his family only in the most positive light. He regaled Crystal and her staff with news of family gatherings, holiday dinners, and special occasions. She realized now, listening to Troy, that there was much more to the story. She was surprised by his candor.
He continued. “I find it a little harder to play that game. I guess I’ll need to learn if I’m gonna take over the company now. I’ll have to work on it.” He shrugged and looked Crystal in the eye. “But, behind the scenes, I think you’ll find that I’m a little more honest than my father.”
She nodded. “I like that.”
“Good. So Vanessa is someone I care about. But our relationship is more of a merger than a romance.” He took a swig of his cognac and watched for Crystal’s reaction.
She stared back at him, unsure how to respond.
“Look,” Troy said, “Vanessa’s dad and mine are good friends. My dad is running for political office. Harvey Nolan has a lot of great connections.”
Crystal nodded. She understood it now. “Got it. So you’re really just with her to help your father further his political aspirations.” She sipped her drink.
He smiled. “In a nutshell. Yes.”
“Does Vanessa know that?”
He looked at her strangely. That was a question he hadn’t expected. “She’s a smart woman.” He ate a French fry.
“Okay. I get it.”
He shook his head. That was just the least of it. But it was all that Crystal needed to know for now.
“I hope you don’t think I’m a dick,” Troy said. “I’m not trying to break anybody’s heart. Like I said, Vanessa is a smart woman. We’re all adults. I’m not proud to admit that I’m not completely in love with the woman I’m engaged to. But, suffice it to say, my family is the most important thing to me.”
Crystal nodded. She believed him on that.
“This thing with Vanessa is more for them than it is for me. Most of the things in my life are like that.” He shrugged.
She thought of her conversation with Vanessa earlier in her office. Even during lunch, she had seemed more excited about the dresses that were being designed for her than she was about the man she was marrying.
Troy looked seriously at Crystal. “I just don’t want her at Hipster. You seem like you have your heart set on doing this spread with her and Roxy.” He shook his head. “I’d rather you didn’t.”
Crystal stared at him. “Okay,” she said. “I think Oscar might be disappointed. But I’ll deal with that.” She sipped her drink again, a dozen thoughts in her head. To her, he sounded sad. His tough and confident exterior had cracked. She watched as he downed the rest of his drink and ordered another. She ordered another one, too.
“When I come to work, it’s my own world. My space.” He winked at her. “I don’t want those two worlds to collide.”
Crystal nodded. “I got it. And I apologize. Now that I know, you don’t have to worry about me crossing that line.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said. His second drink arrived and he thanked the waitress.
“She’s a really nice person, though,” Crystal said. “I enjoyed my time with her this afternoon. She seems excited about the wedding.” Crystal was replaying their lunch conversation in her mind.
Troy chuckled. “Of course,” he said. “Roxy and Vanessa love a reason to get dressed up and shine for the cameras.” He swigged his drink. “That’s the type of shit they live for.”
Crystal rested her elbow on the table, her chin in her hand. “I’m not trying to rub salt in the wound,” she said. “But it just sounds … kinda sad.” She twirled her straw around in her drink. “Have you ever been in love?” she asked.
Troy thought about it. He stared down at his drink for a long time. Finally, he nodded. “Yeah. Once I loved a girl. It was a long time ago.” He nodded again, slower this time.
“What was her name?”
He locked eyes with her. She gripped her glass, feeling exposed under the weight of his gaze.
“Sydney.” He said it without blinking. His tone was flat, unemotional. But his eyes told so much more than that. In them, Crystal saw hurt, regret, and sadness.
Her eyes narrowed. Like a journalist who smelled a good story, she gave him her full attention. She wanted him to keep talking.
“Tell me about that.”
He smirked slightly. “My family fucked that up for me, too.”
Crystal felt a lump in her throat and swallowed past it.
He seemed lost in thought. She had hit a nerve.
“Why did you let them?” she pressed gently.
He looked up at her. “Family first.” He chuckled, tossed back the rest of his drink, and shrugged. “I’m sitting here sounding like a sucker. Complaining, when I have a lot to be grateful for. You can’t have it all, right?” He smiled at her.
Crystal didn’t smile back. She felt consumed by a sadness so complete that it momentarily paralyzed her. She hated the thought that she might never have it all. She planned to get everything she was owed and then some.
“You good?” he asked.
She snapped out of it and her face slowly softened. She smiled. “Yeah. I just hate to hear a sad love story.”
He laughed. “Don’t think of it like that. Like I said, life goes on.”
He motioned the waitress for the check. When it arrived, he took out his wallet, tossed a bunch of bills on the table, and gestured toward the door. “Butch is outside. Why don’t you let me give you a ride home?”
Crystal hesitated. She lived all the way in Brooklyn. Surely, it was out of his way. She thought about it. She was a little tipsy, she reasoned. A ride with Troy would be safe and convenient. Plus, he knew where she lived and he had offered anyway. She nodded. “Thank you. That would be nice.”
He smiled, glad that she accepted his offer. They headed outside, and crossed the street to the spot where Troy’s Benz was parked.
Butch greeted her with the same smile he had yesterday.
“Crystal! Good to see you again.”
She thanked him as he held the car door open for her. Troy climbed in behind her.
“I could get used to this,” she said, gesturing toward Butch. “Being chauffeured around the city in style like this is addicting.”
Troy smiled. “You should get used to it,” he said. “You work hard. You deserve it.”
She nodded. “You’re right. I do.” She opened a bottled water that Butch kept on hand in the backseat and took a sip.
Troy watched her throat as she swallowed. He felt his dick throb at the sight of her throat muscles contracting.
She turned toward him. “I appreciate you filling me in. I don’t like to walk into situations blindly, so I’m glad to know where things stand,” she said.
He shrugged. “I figured if we’re gonna be working together, you need to know the deal. I get the feeling you and I are going to be seeing a lot of each other. I like your energy and I’m impressed by what I see you and Oscar doing. The company needs to take a more aggressive approach in the next few months. And I think you and your team are gonna be the ones to lead the charge.”
Butch drove across the Brooklyn Bridge, and the passing streetlights illuminated their faces intermittently. Troy watched the lights dancing on Crystal’s face and thought about what Vanessa had said earlier. It was true. He did want to fuck Crystal. It was hard to deny it, considering the involuntary bulge that formed in his pants whenever they were together for long. But as he listened to her speaking now about the respect and admiration she had for his father and for the Stuart Mitchell brand, he suspected that his attraction for her went beyond the physical. Vanessa was beautiful, but she had never stimulated his mind. Not that she was dumb. She wasn’t. But she had no depth, no purpose other than to look good and turn heads. Crystal, on the other hand, turned him on not just physically, but mentally as well. She was smart. He had to hand it to his dad. He had chosen wisely with this one.
“Fox gave me the chance to show what I was made of. I’ll always be grateful to him for that,” she was saying.
Butch pulled up in front of her place and she smiled as he put the car in park.
“Thank you,” she said, leaning forward. “You’re a great driver. Not like the yellow cab drivers I usually have to deal with.”
Butch laughed.
She turned to Troy. He stared out the window at her brownstone.
“Nice place,” he said.
She smiled proudly. “Thanks! I love it here.” The big apartment was far more than she needed as a single woman. But having the extra space allowed her the freedom to spread out. When she moved there years before, she had fallen in love instantly with the neighborhood. Brooklyn had undergone an incredible face-lift, and parts of downtown were really fresh and new. But her Fort Greene block had preserved so much of its Huxtable charm that it was impossible to resist living there.
Troy leaned toward her and grinned, his voice a husky whisper. “You gonna invite me up?”
She giggled and shook her head. “For what?”
He shrugged. “I mean … it’s the polite thing to do.”
She knew where this was heading. She had known it the moment they met. As inappropriate as they both knew it was, the chemistry between them was impossible to deny. She thought about everything he had told her tonight about his complicated relationship with Vanessa. She glanced at Butch to see if he was listening. Troy’s driver had mastered the art of rendering himself nearly invisible. If he was listening to their exchange, his face betrayed no signs of it. He stared straight ahead and fiddled with the radio.
“Okay.” She said it before she knew it, the effects of the alcohol taking hold. “Come in.”
He smiled, thrilled, and followed her out. As she headed up the stairs, he turned to Butch and flashed a grin.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Butch nodded and gave him a knowing smile. He pulled off and Troy followed Crystal inside.
His eyes scanned the place as he stepped inside. Her living room was dimly lit, but he managed to feel the coziness of the space.
She turned on a lamp nearby. “Can I get you something to drink?”
He shook his head, his eyes canvassing the room. “No. Thank you.” He looked around at the art on the walls, at the plush furniture, the candles, exotic sculptures, and all of the books on her shelves. “I love your place.”
She smiled modestly. “Thanks. I love it, too.”
An awkward silence fell between them. Crystal wondered whether she should offer to show him the rest of the house. But, something felt odd about that, too. He was her boss. The very fact that he was in her home past 10 P.M. was in itself inappropriate. She cleared her throat.
“I’m gonna get a glass of wine. I’ll be right back.”
He nodded and watched her walk into her kitchen. He stood there for a brief moment before following her.
Troy entered the kitchen and saw her opening a bottle of red wine. A wineglass rested on the counter beside her. Hearing him enter, she gripped the corkscrew in her hand and faced him. He closed the distance between them quickly, catching her a little by surprise. She backed up.
He cornered her, hovering over her as she stood with her back pressed flat against the wall. He leaned in to kiss her and she bit his lip, drawing blood.
He drew back and looked at her, his eyes wide. She stared back at him in silence, aware now that she still held the corkscrew in her hand. She had been squeezing it so tightly that her hand now bore the imprint of it. Troy looked at her, unsure. She stood like she was ready to fight. But she had the slightest smirk on her face. Her eyes were playful. He wasn’t sure whether to be mad or aroused. Tentatively, he stepped toward her again and pulled her into his arms.
She could practically hear her own heart beating fast in her chest. His hand gripped hers and he pried the corkscrew from it, placing it on the counter beside him. He took her face in his hand gently, his eyes locked with hers.
“Don’t bite.”
Lightly, his lips brushed hers. He kissed her softly and she let him. Slowly, he released the grip he had on her face and his hands roamed her body. It felt like every molecule she possessed responded to his touch. She pushed him away, but he didn’t budge. She tried to turn her face away and he kissed her again, deeper this time. She held on to his arms, torn between battle and surrender.
She couldn’t deny how badly she wanted him. Pressed against the wall, under the weight of his body and his desire for her, she gave in.
“Come with me,” she whispered breathlessly in his ear. She led him by the hand up the stairs to her bedroom.
She opened the door and he stepped inside and scanned the room. She was neat. All of her accessories were piled on top of a glass table. Her perfume and makeup rested on a dainty vanity against the wall. He walked through her room, seeing her in all of the details. There were more books in here, and he smiled at her orderliness, her attention to detail.
She stepped toward him. This time, she was the one who initiated the kiss. She clung to him. Her kiss intensified and he could feel her nipples pressing against his hands. She bit him again, even harder this time, and he drew back in pain.
Crystal laughed. He tried to remember what she was drinking tonight. Whatever it was, it was making her wild. The metallic taste of blood was sobering him up quickly.
She stepped toward him and he fought the urge to retreat. He felt like a punk for even considering it.
She stood inches from him, grinning like she could read his mind.
“Let’s play,” she whispered. Even in the darkness of the room, he could see the smile in her eyes. She walked over to the bed, lying down on top of it.
He followed her, aware that his lip was starting to swell up. Oddly, it turned him on. It was clear that she liked it rough. He climbed on top of her and nudged her legs wide. He peeled himself out of his shirt, peering down at her mercilessly.
“You want to play?”
Crystal nodded, her lips puckered playfully. She slapped him so hard across his face that the sound resonated in the room.
He recoiled, then grabbed her by the throat and stuck his tongue in her mouth. She tried to bite him, but he was too fast. He pulled away and slapped her back, though not as hard. She held her face, momentarily dazed. He was the one laughing now. But it only encouraged her. She clawed at him, digging her nails into him so deeply that he backed off of the bed. When he was no longer on top of her, she lunged at him, scratching wildly. Troy swatted her hands away, then grabbed a good handful of her dress and tore the fabric roughly from her body. She felt a twang of regret at the sight of the shredded designer frock at her feet. That was one of her favorite DVF dresses.
In her hesitation, he pulled her toward him and gripped her in a bear hug. Her La Perla bra and panties were the only barrier between her skin and his. She gasped a bit at the sensation of flesh against flesh.
“Stop fighting me!” His voice was stern and he tightened his grip on her.
She chuckled again, amused by his frustration. She knew a man like Troy was used to having things his way. As badly as she wanted him, she was determined to make him work for it.
He scooped her up and carried her back to the bed. Loosening his grip, he spun her around, kissing her neck, sucking on it. She moaned and he spanked her hard on her ass, eliciting a yelp of delight. She turned around and faced him again, grabbed his face roughly, and kissed him. Troy was so hard he could barely contain himself.
“Damn,” he whispered, his lips tickling her ear. His hands gripped her ass, squeezing it tightly, kneading it with increasing desperation. Despite the effects of the alcohol and the bliss Troy was making her feel, she was aware in that moment that they were crossing a very dangerous line. She no longer cared. In reality, she reasoned, that line had been crossed a long time ago.
Troy tried his best not to rush. He wanted her so badly that it surprised him. He stripped down to his boxers, the sparse moonlight shining on his chiseled physique through her venetian blinds. She discarded her bra, but kept her panties on. His hands roamed her body, caressing her shoulders, her arms, her waist. With painstaking patience, his touch wandered up to her breasts, stroking them until a moan escaped her parted lips.
His hand stroked the outside of her panties. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Up and down, he brushed her lips through the thin material. Back and forth, like a guitarist expertly pulling her strings. The sensation sent shivers through her body and she grinded her hips upward into his hand.
Troy watched her, smirking. She had her eyes closed and passion soaked her as he toyed with her. She spread her legs wider, welcoming his touch, beckoning him further.
He slid one hand inside her panties, cupping her hot wetness in the palm of his hand. Her heart galloped so fast she worried that she might self-destruct. She felt feverish with longing for him. He gripped her tighter there, palming her pussy in his hand, his thumb brushing hard against her clit.
“Yeah…” Crystal purred. Her face looked so rapturous and sexy. Her hands roamed her own body, as she thrust against him. She spread her legs wider. Her moans got louder.
Troy watched her, aware of every subtle change in her body, and it excited him. He squeezed and touched, rubbing her clit, and pressing against it so expertly that she felt herself rising toward her peak. He slid her panties off and worked his finger inside of her, pushing her thighs apart even wider. Crystal’s walls felt so tight and she was audibly wet. Her slickness sounded like waves crashing against the shore as he slid his fingers in and out of her. The sound of it, mingled with her soft sweet moans, drove him crazy.
“Damn,” he whispered breathlessly. With his free hand, he teased her nipples, which stood hard against the darkness of the room, begging for attention. He kissed her and she gripped his face tightly between her hands, pulling him closer.
The feeling of her clawing at him anxiously caused a low growl to escape from somewhere deep inside of Troy. He bit her lip, then sucked it softly. Crystal could feel his hardness between her legs leaping in response to their desire for each other, filled to the tip with desire.
Troy reached down, and unleashed his warrior. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. She took a breath. He was blessed. She took him into her hands, stroking all of him firmly. She wanted to memorize its structure and mass. Surely, this could only happen this one night. She had to make the most of it, searing the feeling of him into her memory. She spread her legs apart and grabbed the length of his dick with one hand, squeezing the head with the other.
He growled deeply and pinned her hands above her head. Looking deep into her eyes, he licked his lips, then planted a trail of kisses from her chin downward, stopping just below her belly button.
Troy positioned himself between her legs with his face hovering erotically above her kitten. He blew on her pussy softly. Her legs quaked in anticipation. He scooped one hand firmly beneath her, gripping her ass in his palm. With the other, he spread her pussy lips apart, exposing her clit, and dove in.
Crystal moaned deeply at the sensation of his mouth on her. Troy’s tongue flickered as she fought the urge to pass out from pure ecstasy.
“Oh … shit!”
His mouth completely, unrelentingly devoured her sex. She grabbed his head between her delicate hands. The power of him was evident then. The passion. It rendered Crystal helpless. She watched him, his hands spreading her wider, his lips covering her clit, his head moving erotically between her legs. Troy inserted two fingers, stroking her inner walls while sucking her pussy like a champion.
She felt herself building toward her climax. Troy knew it, too. Her hips rocked against his face as he ate her. She tasted sweet, her body so tender and soft. His fingers worked magic inside of her and she grinded her hips back at him, intensifying the pleasure. He feasted on her, grunting encouragingly as she came, shuddering and spent, while Troy lapped away at her without ceasing.
Her legs trembled and she held the sheets tightly between her fisted hands as he slowed down, sucking gently until she could no longer stand it. She cried out in anguish until finally, he eased up, releasing her from his mouth, and kissed the insides of her thighs gently. Crystal wanted him inside of her. She pulled him closer, longing to feel the fullness of him within her walls. She breathlessly crawled over and reached into the top drawer at her bedside. She produced a condom and slid it on him, kissing him hungrily. He gripped Crystal around her waist and flipped her over on all fours.
She felt her excitement soar. She lowered her face and shoulders until they were flat against the mattress, tooting her ass in the air toward him bravely. He slapped it, sending a sharp sound reverberating throughout the room, and she cried out in response. He did it again. This time she pushed herself back against him, causing his manhood to leap in anticipation. He eased her lips apart and nudged himself toward her opening, still slick from the orgasm she’d already experienced.
Troy entered her slowly, gently pushing himself deeper inside her, filling every inch of Crystal until she was overflowing with pleasure. His hands caressed her body while he stroked her, toying with her while he plunged deeper with each stroke. His rhythm quickened and the sound of their bodies clapping together in such raw and forbidden passion aroused her even further.
“Yeah,” he breathed.
With her back arched like a cat and her ass high in the air, Crystal groaned with each thrust. He filled parts of her she had never before discovered, forcing her to cry out in ecstasy. Again she climaxed, this time the sensation of her orgasm throbbing against him. Troy did his best to restrain himself, aware that the full power of his size was more than she could accommodate. But Crystal’s body, her moans, the way she held on to the sheets for dear life—it overpowered him. He sank himself deeper inside of her and held on tightly as her body tensed beneath him.
She groaned, feeling the most intense mixture of pleasure and pain. Troy was filling her body to its capacity.
“Wait,” she pleaded breathlessly. “Please.”
Troy steadied his breathing, forcing himself to relax. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He pulled himself out of her and turned her over. Despite the physical desire he felt for her, this moment was more than just a physical thing. He connected with Crystal on a whole new level. He hadn’t been this excited about anything in a very long time. As he lowered himself on top of her, kissing her deeply, he reentered her at a slower pace. To her amazement, she had yet another orgasm. Troy joined her soon afterward.
They lay together in bed with their legs intertwined. She lay her head on his chest, rising and falling as the pace of his breath slowly steadied. He held on to her tightly, his fingers in her hair. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling. He had no words for it. Only the swell of emotions he felt as he lay there holding her in his arms.
Crystal’s breath came fast, then slowly steadied. He pulled her closer toward him, seemingly determined to soak up every inch of her.
“You’re aggressive,” he said.
She laughed.
He touched his lip. “I’m gonna look crazy in my meetings for the next few days.”
She made a sad face. “I’m sorry. I get a little freaky sometimes when I drink tequila.” She leaned back against the pillows. The truth was she had been fighting her desire for him. Her bites, scratches, and kicks were all in retaliation against herself, against the incredible way he had her feeling long before he even touched her.
“Crystal.” He breathed her name so eagerly. She didn’t protest when he kissed her. Didn’t fight back this time. They made tender, sweet love all night, the sounds of their passion echoing off the walls of her brownstone.
* * *
She lay awake, watching him sleep at 4:15 A.M. the next morning. She dreaded the impending sunrise. She watched for signs of it through the parted curtains that morning, wishing it would be miraculously delayed somehow. She needed time to process everything. Her mind was still reeling from what they’d done. Troy had fucked her in every possible way. She felt the welcome soreness of extraordinary sex between her legs and watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed.
Finally, she drifted off to sleep, but woke soon after and watched him some more. Even as it lay limp against his thigh, his dick was impressive in size. She chided herself, aware that she was capturing snapshots of him that she might conjure up later when he wasn’t around. She checked herself. There would be no staring out the window days from now, reflecting on this moment. She could not allow herself to catch feelings of any kind for this man.
She rose before the sun that morning. She climbed out of bed while the sky was still dark, careful not to wake him, and headed for the bathroom. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she shook her head. Last night had been a mistake. Closing her eyes, she reminisced about the feeling of his hands on her, inside of her, his mouth in both places, too. For better or worse, there was no turning back now.
She had sobered up watching him sleep. She couldn’t imagine how they might move forward, how some normalcy might emerge from all of this messiness. She relieved herself on her fancy toilet, aware that her pussy was swollen and tender to the touch. Troy had consumed her wholly, owning her inside and out. And she had loved every erotic second of it.
She turned the shower on and stepped into the stream of water, lathering up with flashbacks teasing her each time she shut her eyes.
She forced the guilty thoughts to the furthest corners of her mind, denying herself the agony of beating herself up over thoughts of his fiancée. A woman she had broken bread with. Instead, she focused on tenderly washing the places he had sullied her. She smiled as she slowly lathered her lady parts, Troy’s mark evident in every crevice.
She gasped a bit when he slid the shower door open and stepped inside with her.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice still husky with sleep. He kissed her on her forehead and used his hands to soap up her body.
She exhaled, relishing the feeling of his hands against her skin once more. She returned the favor, washing his toned physique as the water cascaded around them.
“You’re up early,” he said.
“Yeah. I always am.”
He rinsed off, the water dousing his face and clinging to his skin.
She watched him. His body was mouthwatering. She saw the scratches she had left on his body and wondered for a second how he would explain them.
He kissed her gently on the lips. “What are you doing today?”
She marveled at the fact that he wasn’t in a rush to get home and make excuses for spending the night out. He wasn’t acting like a man who was about to get married. She decided there must be some truth to the things he had told her last night.
“I have plans today,” she said simply.
He nodded, disappointed. She stepped out of the shower and he followed her. She passed him a towel.
She wrapped one around herself and walked over to her sink. She grabbed her toothbrush, and set about rinsing the taste of him into the stream of cool water pouring forth from the faucet. Standing upright again, she met her reflection in the mirror. He was standing behind her now. He wasn’t touching her, and yet she felt him all over her. They studied their reflections in silence together. Though neither of them spoke, so much was said in those moments. Things were so complicated between them, and yet there they were.
His hands circled her waist at last. She leaned back into him and closed her eyes. Strangely, this was the safest she had felt in a very long time.
“I want to see you tonight. After you do all the things you need to do today.”
She shook her head. “I’m leaving for Maryland this afternoon. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, remember?”
“Damn.” He inhaled the scent of her. Thanksgiving had been the furthest thing from his mind. “Forgot about that.”
She turned to face him. “We can’t keep this up anyway,” she said softly. “We both know that.”
He stared down at her and wasn’t sure how it was possible that she looked even more beautiful than she had last night. Her hair was tousled and her face was void of any makeup, but she looked more radiant than ever.
He didn’t respond. The silence between them lingered as he dressed and gathered his things. He called Butch to come and get him, his voice full of sadness that their time together had to end. Crystal wrapped a bathrobe around her nakedness and she didn’t protest when he snatched her up by the door, showering her with kisses, nibbling at her ear, neck, and her lips.
When Butch arrived, she walked Troy downstairs, their fingers intertwined until they reached her front door.
He leaned in and kissed her lightly. Their eyes locked afterward and he dreaded the thought of leaving her. Again he marveled at what she was making him feel.
“This ain’t over,” he whispered, his lips tickling her ear. He kissed her cheek, then forced himself to let go of her. He walked out to his car, greeted Butch, and climbed inside. Crystal stood behind her door and watched them drive away. She wasn’t sure how to explain the tears that pooled in her eyes or the lump that formed in her throat. She didn’t know whether she was happy or sad. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t have the answers.