Smoldering Desire (6 page)

“Hey, are you changing on me?  You used to love how I operated.  Just last week you high-fived me after I nailed your favorite news anchor for a consultation,
while
I was standing in line at Starbucks.  What happened to that person?”

Willow shook her head.  “I don’t know.  While I was sitting here,
by myself
, I realized that I want more.  And I know you, you’re not going to change, and I won’t ask you to.”

“You’re right,” Marius agreed.  “I love what I do, and right now that passion for work, supersedes everything else in my life.  And that’s why you dated me.”

“I know,” Willow said quietly.  A couple of months ago, Marius’s passion for his work was a turn on, now not so much.

“So, does this mean what I think it does?” he asked drilling to the core of the matter.

Willow nodded.  “We want different things.”

“But I would love to continue seeing you. I think we can have something special.  I got a suggestion,” he continued, “we can see each other when it’s convenient for both of us.  We won’t have any rules; we’ll just go with the flow.”

“No, that’ll be even emptier than what we have now.  There won’t be any commitment; I want something more than just a playmate.” 

Marius’s gaze traveled down her face and stopped at her mouth.  “I’ve had many dreams about your lips,” he admitted and Willow’s skin flushed red.  “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”

Willow shook her head.  “Thanks, but even if I did, you and I both know that it wouldn’t last.”

“You’re right.  So can I at least finish my dinner with the most beautiful lady in the room?” Marius asked, his voice charming.

Willow grinned, grateful that Marius was so understanding.  Part of her knew that he would be since they really hadn’t been dating long.  “Of course.”

“My birthday was horrible,” Willow grumbled to her best friend Mya Tisdale.  They had met after Mya transferred to her high school.  Willow who was, the head cheerleader, President of the Debate Team, her class and the chess club, befriended the newcomer with such warmth that their friendship, which spanned more than a decade, was still going strong.

“What happened?  I thought you and Marius had a date,” she asked while passing Willow a Bellini.  It was a late Saturday afternoon in June and they were sitting on Mya’s condo’s rooftop.  The sun, blindly hot, shined down, baking everything that wasn’t protected.  Willow could swear that the sun’s rays speared through the umbrella under which she sat and cooked her.

Willow had just gotten to her friend’s house after spending the night tossing and turning while thinking about her failed date, and what she should do about her dating life.  She didn’t feel any closer to a resolution in the morning.  She gratefully sipped her drink enjoying the icy sweetness cooling her throat.  Even though she had dressed for the weather, she was still hot.  The sun dress that she had thrown on this morning was beginning to plaster itself to her body, thankfully, she had packed several set of clothes to pick from to wear later tonight for her birthday celebration.  Any other time, she would appreciate the view of the Atlanta skyline and the weather, but today she was too annoyed to bother. 

“How come we aren’t inside?  Your place is a lot cooler and nicer.”  Willow loved Mya’s condominium with its plate glass windows, fresh décor, spacious rooms
and
air conditioning. 

Mya sipped her drink before offering her friend a glass bowl of frozen fruits.  They both loved their frozen grapes, watermelon chunks and mango with a sprig of mint.  “I just wanted something different,” she answered calmly; she knew that Willow was upset about her failed date and not with her.  “Besides I love this spot.”  Mya’s condo association had renovated the rooftop, creating a water feature, a grilling area and a track that spanned the perimeter.  While usually heavily populated, Willow and Mya shared the space with only a few people.  The sun had scared most of the residents away. 

Willow plucked a frozen grape from the bowl and dropped it into her mouth.  She chewed slowly then swallowed before answering.  “It is nice,” she agreed.   “Marius and I went out, and he closed the deal…but not with me.”  At seeing her friend’s confused expression, Willow elaborated.  “He spent the evening wheeling and dealing and barely paying any attention to me and I looked good.”

Mya smiled at her friend.  “But I thought you liked that about your men.” 

Willow shook her head.  “Until last night I thought power was sexy, I used to think that there wasn’t anything sexier than a man making deals and making things happen.  But it’s getting old.  I’m not getting turned on, I’m beginning to find them all irritating,” she admitted.

Instead of replying, Mya handed her friend a cupcake and sang happy birthday to her.  “Eat up.”  They celebrated each other’s birthday every year.  Sometimes they gave each other elaborate gifts such as trips or tickets to a concert.  They both could easily afford it, Willow as an entertainment lawyer and Mya as one of Atlanta’s top event planners.  “I can’t wait for you to see what I got you for your birthday.  I think you’re going to like it,” Mya sang, and after hearing her friend talk about her men woes, she knew that she had gotten her the perfect gift. 

“I hope so,” Willow said in between licking icing off her fingers.  “I really need something nice, my birthday sucked.” 

“Don’t worry; don’t I always get you something good?”

“You do,” Willow agreed.  Last year Mya had treated her to a trip to New York City, where they shopped, ate and partied until they had taken more bites of the Big Apple than they cared for. 

“What type of man are you looking for?” Mya asked.

Willow smiled at her.  One thing about Mya is that as soon as you think she had forgotten what you were talking about, she backtracked to the subject.  “Not the guys I’ve been dating in the past, that’s for sure.”

“So I guess it’s safe to say, no lawyers need apply?”

“You’re right.  So where are we going tonight?”

Mya grinned mischievously.  “Tonight is part one.  I hope you brought something sexy to wear.  I’m promoting a celebrity studded club opening and you’re getting the V.I.P. treatment.”

“You’re going to be working.  You won’t be able to hang out with me,” Willow protested.

“I’m working for only an hour, then after that I’m all yours,” she promised.

“You say that all the time,” Willow groused.  It wasn’t unusual for Mya to leave her sitting in the V.I.P. section with the promise to return in ten minutes, only to have her return two hours later, profusely apologizing.

Mya raised her right hand.  “I promise, for real.”

“So what celebrities are going to show up tonight?”

Mya rattled off the guest list and Willow recognized many of her clients.  “And there’s a rumor that Jay Z and Beyoncé are going to roll through.”

“I hope so, she’s so beautiful.  They’re the perfect couple.”

“I know.”

I need to rethink what my dream guy is, Willow thought.

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Violet Murphy and her best friend Althea Connor jogged along the trail in Piedmont Park.  In excellent shape, they easily sailed through two and a half miles, they had exactly that many left before they were done.

At thirty-eight-years-old Violet looked much younger than her age, as do most black women.  With her smooth unblemished skin, short trendy haircut, and her well-toned, lightly muscled body, she was occasionally mistaken for someone in her late twenties. 

Without breaking her stride Violet snatched her water bottle off her hydration waistpack and guzzled down half its contents before clamping it back in place. 

She peeked out of the corners of her eyes at Althea; she was in the zone her gaze focused on some unknown marker that only she knew.  They jogged in a comfortable silence, being friends for over a decade they had earned that right.  During their morning run, neither said anything unless it was absolutely necessary.  Violet started to say something but changed her mind when she saw how focused her friend was.

It was October and they both were excited at being outdoors again.  The extreme summer heat and thick as slaw humidity had them working out at their gym. 

At six o’clock in the morning the park was filled with groups of fitness boot camp participants, people doing yoga and joggers like her.  Violet breathed deeply enjoying the cool air. 

Piedmont Park was the perfect place for their daily run, since it was so close to their homes.  Violet owned a house in Virginia-Highlands, an eclectic neighborhood filled with a mix of boutiques, restaurants and historical houses.  Althea owned a condo in Midtown Atlanta.

Violet suppressed what she had to say until their cool down, when they finally shifted gears and ambled along.  They walked slowly coming down from their runner’s high, and filled with the satisfaction that they pushed their bodies to the limit and won.  “Great run,” she murmured.

“It was, I wish I had time to get a massage, but I have a meeting in two hours that I can’t miss,” Althea said with a frown.  She rolled her shoulders and wiggled her arms, as though she could shake off her stress. 

“Schedule it for after work,” Violet suggested.

Althea grinned at her friend.  “I think I might.”

They continued their walk.  Even though it was still cool, the temperature had inched up a few degrees since they had started their run.  “I think Clint is cheating on me…again,” Violet said quietly.

Althea was silent, she had heard accusations against Violet’s husband before and they all turned out to be false.  “Clint’s changed…”  Althea grabbed her hand, forcing her to stop.  Joggers and walkers grumbled as they went around the newly formed obstacle on the trail.  “Let’s go over to the grass and stretch before we get run over.  You can tell me everything over there.”

They found a spot on the grass and settled down.  It was a little damp but it didn’t matter, they were already sweaty.  Violet and Althea began the second half of their cool down routine.  Violet started talking as though her friend hadn’t interrupted her, “He’s been so distant and he’s never home.”

“Could it be because he owns one of the most popular bakeries in the city?” she asked, her voice toeing sarcasm.  A couple of years before the cupcake craze started, Clint had opened a bakery, Sugah Cakes; that focused on gourmet cupcakes and cakes.  Since its opening business was brisk, but with the growing popularity of the little bite size treats, his bakery had taken off sending his sales soaring into the stratosphere, and making him one busy man, so much so that he had to double his staff.

“No!” Violet snapped.  “Because he used to be attentive, but now nothing.”

“What proof do you have?”

“Proof?” Violet asked.  “I don’t need proof, I have my woman’s intuition, my gut is telling me that he’s cheating.”

“Violet…”

“But—”

“Clint loves you.  Xavier and I always talk about how sweet he is to you.  He made a mistake and he apologized a million times, it’s time to move on.  And what makes you think he’s cheating, you know that you’ve been wrong before,” Althea said softly.

“But not this time I’m not,” Violet insisted.  She stared defiantly at her friend almost hating her; she had a perfect man, beautiful children and an envy worthy life.  She doesn’t have a husband who cheated on her five years ago, Violet fumed to herself.  Clint had confessed his indiscretion one night after he had too much to drink.  The admission had blindsided her, knocking her to her knees.  Over time, they had slowly rebuilt their marriage, but now the walls were tumbling down around them.  It was just as painful to reveal now as it was then.  

Althea turned away from her friend and instead touched her toes.  She was looking at the ground when she asked, “Why are you so sure?”

“Okay, here’s one.  Last night he got home at midnight, and even before he kissed me hello, he was running up to the bathroom to shower.  And when he was done, he went right to bed.  He could barely tell me goodnight,” she fumed.

“But the bakery…”

“Don’t say anything about that bakery again, I don’t believe it’s the problem,” Violet hissed.  “He fucked somebody and he was trying to cover his tracks.”

Althea swallowed a retort, instead she asked, “Have you talked with him about it?”

“No,” Violet replied curtly. 

“But why?”

“Because, he’ll lie about it and why should I waste my time listening to a lie?”  Violet twisted her torso, turning away from her friend.

Althea rested a hand on her friend’s shoulder, forcing her to stop and face her.  “Talk to him Violet, approach him with an open heart and really listen to him.  You might be surprised by what he has to say.”

Violet flattened her lips and pulled away from her friend.  Althea’s hand dropped to her side.  “I’ll see,” she mumbled. 

They finished their stretching in silence.  The two friends strolled to their cars.  When they got to their vehicles, Althea pulled her friend to her and hugged her tightly.  “It’s going to be okay, sweetie.  Go by the bakery today and see your husband.  Or better yet, take him to dinner.  I know that he’ll love that.”