Kiss of Noir (10 page)

“Like a vampire?” Hellion replied, never stopping her reading.

“Exactly.”

Payne came over, nodded to me, and hugged Hellion, who was startled into reciprocating, her book crushed between them.

“Hey! How are you?” Payne grinned.

“Good. And you?” Hellion had mentally dismissed Payne and was smoothing her book on the bar.

“Just great. You’re treating my bud here okay, aren’t you?” Payne said.

Hellion shook her head. “Please.” Her tone was unmistakable. She read again.

Leading her filly by the hand, Payne walked to my other side and squeezed in between stools to be closer. “How you doing?” she whispered.

“You know that woman?” I was incredulous.

Payne puffed with pride. “Of course I do. She comes here some. I’ve known her for a while.”

“What’s her name?”

Payne shifted uncomfortably. “Don’t know,” she mumbled.

“You don’t know!” I laughed and swigged my drink. It felt so good to feel good.

“She’s never told anybody. No one knows her name,” Payne whispered.

“Well I do,” I boasted.

“Yeah, right,” Payne replied. Her filly wedged between them and held out her hand to me. “I’m Carol.”

I took the hand, grinned at Payne, and kissed it. “So sweet to meet you, Carol.”

“Thank you. I love your haircut…I mean your head…I mean…”

I nodded. “I get you. Thanks.”

“Let’s dance, babe.” Payne dragged Carol away.

“I hope that didn’t make you jealous,” I said to Hellion, who was immersed in her book. When I got no response, I said, “I say, I hope that didn’t make you jealous. You know you’re the only one for me. It didn’t mean anything. I was thinking of you the whole time. I was drunk. You’ve got to trust me. I’ve got to have some space.”

After ten beats of silence, Hellion looked up. “What?”

I held her arm. “C’mon, I’ve got something I want to give you.”

Hellion pulled away. “I don’t want anything.”

“You want this, I promise. C’mon outside, let me show you.”

“Bring it in here.”

“Will you just relax? It will take two minutes. C’mon, Professor.” I pulled her toward the door. Making a move like that was always risky and when it paid off, it was sweet heaven. The woman, mute, followed me. Payne watched this with disbelief.

“What is it?” Hellion asked once we were outside in the sultry darkness. The throbbing music we left behind seemed to cause the building to pulse.

“This,” I growled, pushing Hellion against the closest wall. I pressed her breathless and waited for the outraged shove. When it didn’t come, I lowered my lips to Hellion’s, our mouths hot with passion. I swooped and dove, eating her up, but she met me, kiss for kiss, breath for breath.

At last, I raised my mouth but still mashed her tight. “I know you,” I whispered.

“Oh, yeah?” she panted, her dark eyes challenging.

“Yeah. You’re hard and tough on the outside because you’ve been hurt so bad. But you’re soft as down on the inside. You have this sassy impermeable shell and meanwhile, you’re aching for someone to break through and find that out. And keep you safe. It’s all just an act. And you’re really lonely. You sit there and read to test everyone that comes up to you, and so far, no one has passed. But you’re dying to love someone if only the right person would show up and win you.”

Hellion stared at me for several seconds, her eyes soft and glowing. “I love you,” she said, her voice gooey with syrup. I stepped back. “You’ve always been able to read me. You know me so well, you see right through me.”

I was uncomfortably humbled and laughed. “All right, all right.”

“You can see I’m just a frightened little girl—”

“Shut up.”

“And that I have needs too. I need to be taken care of and—”

“Shut up, already!” I pulled Hellion back toward the bar. Giggles were gurgling out of her throat. I pulled her close. “Just tell me your name,” I said, my lust smoldering. I felt fire rise in Hellion and meet mine. She tilted her mouth up for more deep kissing. I obliged.

“What is it? What is it?” I hissed between kisses.

“All right.” She seemed carried away by my bites. “I’ll tell you.”

I waited.

“Mildred.”

I dropped my hands from her body and shoved her toward the door. “That’s fine. Get back in there and read your book.”

But she turned and wrapped her arms around me. “More.”

To my own astonishment, I unwound her arms. “No. No more. Nothing else from me until I have your name.” I opened the door and pushed her inside.

“Louise.” She grinned.

“Forget it. I’ll have to see your license now.” I escorted her to her stool and I picked up my own drink and tobacco pouch and returned to the wobbly table where Payne and Carol were nursing beers.

“Struck out, huh?”

I ignored this, squeezing my lime wedge into my drink and stirring it with my finger. The ice cold liquid felt good.

“She’s staring at you,” Carol said.

I turned around, sucking my index finger. Hellion was indeed burning me up with her gaze. I turned away.

“Why don’t you go do something about that?” Payne asked.

“I have. I’ve told her what she has to do.” I shrugged.

“Man, oh, man.” Payne laughed.

“What does she have to do?” Carol asked.

“Just a little private assignment,” I assured Carol, patting her arm.

“Sounds exciting,” Carol said. Payne gave her the stink eye. “I love to dance,” Carol said. “Do you want to dance with me?”

I looked at Payne, who appeared angry but resigned. “Sure, go ahead!” Payne laughed heartily.

I kept Carol at arm’s length and kept her back to Hellion. After a few moments, there was a tug on my shoulder and a cold voice. “Mind if I cut in?”

Carol was irritated but said, “Okay, I guess not.” She walked back to the anxiously waiting Payne.

I grinned, charmed by Hellion’s approach. “So, we meet again. Couldn’t stay away, could you?” I embraced her and kissed her neck underneath her hair.

Hellion shivered. “Shut up and dance.”

“Ready to invite me in yet?”

“Never.”

“Suits me. Your loss,” I breathed into her shell pink ear and concentrated on my dancing. We held each other close and started only by swaying. Soon, I was lost in the hypnotic rhythm and we were both spellbound. The music, the people, the bar disappeared. There was only the two of us. I moved Hellion; Hellion moved me, our thighs and hips locked. She raised her arms and fell back; I caught her and gripped her close. We barely noticed the floor clearing. I spun her and then pressed her ample ass into my crotch. We moved, mirroring each other perfectly. I dipped and swung; Hellion matched me, turn for turn, pelvis to pelvis. She was as strong and flexible as rope. I was just sliding my hands down to her plump ass when the song ended and the spell was broken by the crowd streaming back onto the floor. I fell to my knees in front of Hellion and held my arms wide. She looked at me in horror.

“Get up, you dolt,” she said.

“Oh, baby, I don’t care what your name is anymore; you set me on fire,” I said, breathless and happy.

“Get the fuck up.” Hellion’s voice was like a lash. “Go get me a drink. Now!” She sauntered off to the bathroom.

I got her another glass of wine and returned to the table with Payne and Carol. I sat and lit a cigarette, draining my melted gin and tonic.

“What the hell was that?” Payne asked.

“I have no idea,” I answered with a smile, mopping sweat from my face and neck with my soggy bar napkin.

Hellion emerged from the bathroom and glared at me imperiously until I stood and took her the glass of wine.

“Thank you. That will be all for tonight,” she said.

“What do you mean, baby? You can’t start me up and walk away.”

“I most certainly can.” She looked me up and down as if she couldn’t believe my cheek in objecting. She drank half her glass of wine and then removed a lipstick from her ridiculously tiny purse and refreshed her mouth. “It’s good for you.”

I laughed, loving this. How long it had been since I felt right? “Oh, but it’s really bad for you,” I answered, clasping Hellion’s waist.

“No,” she said airily, stepping away. “You’ve gotten to the gate. I can’t invite you further.” With melting eyes, she stared at me and added, “Not yet.”

I leaned down and kissed her, long and hot and deep.

“Besides,” she continued, as if I had done nothing, “you need to be ready for me.” She tapped my forehead. “Up here.”

“Why? I don’t want a mind fuck. I’m ready where I need to be.”

Hellion shook her head. I nodded, finally understanding. I lit another cigarette and sucked it hard. “You’re cheating on your husband, aren’t you?”

“No.” She paused. “I’m cheating on my wife.”

“Why isn’t she here? I’ve asked around about you. Why hasn’t anyone ever seen her?”

“Because she’s in a wheelchair.”

I smoothed my shocked response. “You’re shitting me.”

“No, I’m not. It’s hard for her to get around, so she sticks to places that conform to ADA standards.” Hellion’s voice was brittle.

“Let me get this straight. You’re two-timing a cripple? That’s cold.”

“Not two-timing exactly.” She downed the rest of her glass and handed it to me and I flagged the bartender. “We have an open relationship.”

“An open relationship. That just means you two are broken up but can’t let go.”

“No. No, it really works for us.”

“You mean she sits home alone in a heartbroken rage while you come out and play games.”

She smiled and rolled her eyes. “That shows how little you know. She does really well. You wouldn’t
believe
the number of soft, sympathetic caretakers who want to scratch my eyes out and marry her.”

“Phew, you two do love the drama. I like my cunts less complicated.”

“Well, we thrive on it. It stimulates our passion and deepens our love.”

“Sure it does. I doubt the tiny amount of outside sex you’ve had has been worth the enormous amount of pain, jealousy, and processing.”

“Well…”

“So, forget it, honey.” I caressed her face. “I don’t mess with married women.” I flashed on my past. “As a rule. Talk to me after you’ve had a clean break.”

Hellion shrugged, got out her keys, and snapped her purse closed. “That’s fine. There’s plenty more in line just like you.” She took me in her arms and whispered in my ear, “I’ll be getting it good and nasty at home in less than thirty minutes, how about you?”

I shoved her away, my mouth curled. I refused to watch her leave; instead I turned and signaled the bartender for a refill.

A little ways down the counter, I nodded to a beautiful woman who stared at me. She approached me, a purposeful look in her eyes.

“Say, sistah, how you doing?” I leaned my back on the bar, slouching, and propped my elbows on the railing.

“Ubiqua.” The woman held out her hand. I shook it.

“Nora. Hmm, Ubiqua, that’s nice. That means big beautiful butt in Swahili, right?”

“No, it means I’ll kick your sorry black ass if you disrespect me.”

“Uh-huh. So, Ubiqua, how you doing?”

“Oh, I’m just fine. I am worried about you, though.”

I laughed. “Don’t mar your pretty face with worry about me. Why don’t we dance and that will take your mind off it?”

Ubiqua held up a hand. “Don’t play that shit with me. I want to talk to you.”

“All right, go.”

“Why do you chase white women? You know they can’t do for you what a fine black sister can do. What’s up with that? Do you hate your race?”

“A fine, fine,
fine
sister like you? Why don’t we hook up?” I let a grin spread slowly over my face, looking the voluptuous Ubiqua up and down.

“No, I told you to cut that shit. I’m already set. I have a date. A
black
date.”

“Listen.” I leaned down and stared Ubiqua in the eyes. “I do not hate my race. See?” I rattled my wrist. “A bracelet from my African ancestors. I love women. And I love to lie with whoever looks good. A lot of white women look good. And a lot of black women look good. It’s just easier to find white women. I don’t hate
any
race. Seems like you’re the one who is racist, eliminating people due to skin color.”

“There are things more important than convenience. That you can’t find black women to be with is the lamest excuse yet. That honky poon already steals our black men; it makes me sick that they can take our women too.”

“Why don’t you relax?” I sighed and sipped my fresh gin and tonic. Payne and Carol were nowhere in sight. “I’ve heard all this tired shit before. Quit politicizing sex. Sex is just good and I love it no matter what the color it wears.”

“Nora, sex is the only politics. The oldest and original politics. Every choice we make and how we live impacts the future. I’m just trying to help you out and give you some sound advice.”