Chapter 11
“Whose money is this?”
While making a pot of jambalaya, Johnnie found herself daydreaming more and more about Lucas Matthews, wondering how sex would be with him instead of Earl. When Earl came by, she made passionate love to Lucas Matthews. The daily fantasies about him fueled her lust, and the ruggedly handsome Lucas stayed on her mind like an incurable plague. Although they hadn’t said anything more than hello to each other, she wondered how his lips and tongue would feel against her breasts and what it would be like to have his bronzed, naked body against hers. Johnnie often pictured Lucas coming over and taking her the way Earl did.
Instead of feeling guilty about it afterward, Johnnie believed she wouldn’t feel any shame with Lucas. To Johnnie, he was her only true freedom from what her mother and Earl expected of her. With Lucas, she was free to run away from New Orleans and be a singer, even if it was only in her mind. As her fantasies about Lucas Matthews raced, she could feel moisture in her panties.
Johnnie was awakened from her lust-filled interlude with Lucas when she heard a key enter the lock of the front door. She knew it was Earl. After turning off the stove, she walked into the living room. The door opened and Earl entered, smiling broadly. Having seen that look on his face before, Johnnie knew he would recklessly invade her young body soon. She also knew he was going to want to share his day and whatever good news he had. She had come to understand Earl. All he needed was good sex on a regular basis, and a listening ear. That and a good home-cooked meal. In Johnnie, he had everything he wanted, except her love. And he would never have that.
“Hi!”
“Hello, Earl.” Johnnie yawned.
“Well, don’t get all excited,” he said with a chilly tone.
“Earl, I’m tired. Don’t expect me to get all excited just because you is.”
“Well, maybe this will excite you,” he said, reaching inside the breast pocket of his suit. He pulled out a white envelope and handed it to her.
“What’s this?” Skeptically, Johnnie opened the envelope. To her surprise, there was a check for almost four thousand dollars. Overwhelmed, she said, “Whose money is this?”
“Who do you think?” Earl beamed. “Read the name on the check.”
She looked at the check again. Even though she saw her name, she still couldn’t believe all that money was hers. It had been four months since she’d given Earl half of her money. He had kept his word.
Earl was rapidly moving up the corporate ladder, which was to be expected, being married to the boss’ daughter. He wasn’t a financial wizard by any stretch of the imagination, but Buchanan Mutual was growing by leaps and bounds. He simply bought her stock in the company. Everything was going according to plan.
Johnnie wanted to please Earl for making her all that money. She took off the red silk robe he’d given her on Valentine’s Day, standing before him completely naked. Earl gazed intensely at her dark nipples, the contours of her body, then at her thick bush. The sight of her nakedness caused him to throb.
Johnnie undressed Earl, beginning with his jacket, then his shirt, leaving only his T-shirt on. She dropped to her knees and unbuckled his pants. They fell to the floor. She could see his hardness through his white underwear. She pulled them down and took him into her mouth. Earl placed his hand behind her head and moaned uncontrollably. She stood up and kissed his thin pink lips as if they belonged to Lucas Matthews.