I tw a saFriday night, and my apartment smelled like a bad decision waiting to happen… and I fucking loved it. Music played low from the Bluetooth speaker on my vanity. Of course, it was Tink humming about being tired of the cap and lies, dealing with men who weren’t worth the energy, and I felt her deeply.
In my bedroom, I stood in front of my full-length mirror, admiring myself. I wore a sheer black robe tied loosely at the waist with nothing but my lingerie underneath. I had on the “come fuck me” bra. You know, the one that lifted my titties just right and had those extra little straps across the top that made men forget their vows and women take notes.
The matching panties were damn near disrespectful. A thin, black g-string that disappeared between my cheeks and left nothing to the imagination. I had no business looking this damngood for a man that didn’t even belong to me. But here I was. Lip gloss shining, lace front flawlessly bone straight, edges laid, and my freshly waxed pussy throbbing with anticipation.
I held my phone between my shoulder and cheek while listening to my best friend laugh in my ear. “Girl, you shaved for this man again?” Shonica asked.
“I did not shave, I waxed. Don’t play with me,” I said, switching legs. “And yes. I told you, he gotthatkind of dick. Like…melt-in-your-mouth dick.”
Shonica groaned. “He’smarried, Tae. Don’t forget that part.”
“I never forget. I see the tan line on his ring finger every time he’s about to grab me by the neck.”
She gasped. “Bitch!”
I laughed. “I’m just saying. He might be off limits, but he’s worth the tiredness I feel at work afterwards.”
“You’re going straight to hell. I’m talking express lane. No stops.”
“Don’t care,” I said with a shrug. “The devil is just gonna have to scoot over. I’m tryna catch this backshot blessing first.”
Shonica cackled. “You are so damn stupid. Why don’t you just get yourself a man who’s available?”
“Because men are only good for one thing, and barely that,” I said, turning sideways to admire the way my hips filled out the panties. “I’m thirty-one, Shon. I work like a damn dog, pay my own bills, do my own oil changes, file my own taxes, and never ask anybody for shit. I don’t need a man. I need a nut… or five.”
“Whew. I’m writing that down for your future autobiography.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, pulling my robe closed. “Anyway, I gotta go. He said he’d be here by ten, and it’s already nine-twenty. I need to set the vibe.”
She snorted. “Bye, hoe.”
“Bye, bitch.” I hung up and tossed my phone on the bed. I spritzed myself with Valentino perfume on my wrists, neck, and thighs. Then, I walked into the living room to fluff the couch pillows and hit the lights.
Travis liked it dark because, according to him, it helped him forget who he was for a while. I didn’t ask questions. I knew the drill. He was married, older, fine as hell, with a salt-and-pepper beard and a body like he used to play football in the early 2000s. We met at a conference my agency hosted last year, and one thing led to another… now he calls me his “escape.” I wasn’t proud of it but I wasn’t turning down good dick either.
Just as I was lighting the last candle on my coffee table, my phone started ringing from the bedroom. I walked over, hips swaying in a way that didn’t even make sense for a woman alone in her apartment, and picked it up.
No heart emoji, no saved photo, just the single letter. I answered on the second ring. “Hey. You on the way?” There was silence on the other end for a second too long. “Travis?” I said again, wrapping one arm around my waist.
“Yeah,” he said finally, voice low and tight like he was whispering. “I can’t come tonight.”
I froze. “What?”
“I can’t. Something came up. My wife… she’s not feeling well. I gotta stay in.”
I blinked. “You’re telling me this…now?”
“I know. I’m sorry, baby. I really am. I was about to head out, but… she asked me to stay with her. Look, I gotta go.”
“Are you serious?” I asked, biting the inside of my cheek. “After all that talk earlier? The nasty shit you were saying on the phone all week? You got me over here waxed, scented, slicked, and ready like I’m filming a damn scene in a porno!”
“I said I’m sorry, Tae,” he whispered. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
Click.
I stood there staring at the phone likeitowed me the back-to-back orgasms instead of Travis’s ass. My stomach dropped with a mix of rage, disappointment, and straight-up sexual frustration.
Oh, hell no.
