One Toe Out (A Complicated Love Story) (7 page)

“
Very beautiful.”

“
I personally designed my suite. This is where I unwind. This is where I get to be me, truly me,” he said and fixed her with a gaze she couldn’t interpret. “Come on let me show you your suite.”

Simone followed her husband to the opposite end of the hall. “Won’t your staff talk when they realize that we aren’t sleeping together?”

“
No. I told them that you’re a very light sleeper and need to sleep by yourself.”

They stopped in front of a door. “But won’t they be suspicious when we never sleep together? Or the sheets aren’t mussed or stained?”

J.T. ignored her questions, then pushed open the door. “And here’s your suite. We combined two bedrooms to make this, it’s not quite as big as mine, but I think you’ll still like it.” She had the same sitting area, albeit a tad smaller, but she had the same supersize HDTV, couch and fireplace. The bed was humongous.

“
OMG!”

He pointed to his left. “Check out your closet.”

Simone opened up the door. Everything was cherry wood and custom built. There were hundreds of little spaces for her shoes. She pulled open a little drawer.

“
That’s for your girly things,” J.T. said. “And these are for your sweaters and blouses.” He pulled open several bigger drawers. “And these racks are for your dresses, suits, pants and just things you don’t want to fold.”

“
Wow!”

“
And when we go shopping tomorrow we’ll do a good job at getting this filled. And the last stop is your bathroom.”

They walked over the plush carpeting and into the bathroom, her eyes watered. “I can’t wait for Mom to see this.” It was just as beautiful as J.T.’s, she had all the marble and travertine, but the finishings were more subdued. “Just beautiful.”

“
Come one let’s sit down.” They walked over to the sitting area and settled on the couch. Simone looked expectantly at him. “I wanted to talk about our sleeping arrangements. There won’t be a problem during football season, because I’m rarely home. And you’re right I didn’t think it all through.”

“
If you don’t mind, I can sleep a couple nights a week in your bed, it’s big enough, so I don’t think we’d even touch. And we probably only have to do it until you start practice then I’ll sleep by myself.”

“
But when I do come home, you’ll have to sleep in my bed, will that be okay?”

“
As long as you don’t try anything,” she teased.

“
Trust me, I won’t.”

Later that evening J.T. and Simone were in his office sitting in front of his laptop, which he had powered up before she had come into the room.

Simone took a sip of her drink. “This is so good, Ernesto is so talented. What is this?”

J.T. grabbed the glass from her and tasted it. He smacked his lips. “It’s a Dark and Stormy.”

“
Oh, okay, it’s delicious!” She took the glass away from him and continued drinking.

“
Are you ready?”

“
It can’t be that bad.”

“
I just want you to be prepared. People talk real reckless when they’re behind their computer.”

“
I get it.” Simone took another sip of her drink. “Okay, I’m ready.”

J.T. went to CMZ.com. “Sit down!” he demanded and Simone did so.

J.T. peered over at her. “This is just the beginning. You ready?” J.T. noticed her shoulders rigid with tension, he reached down and grabbed them, then moved her tight skin under his hands, manipulating it, she peeked back at him with a grin.

They were silent while Simone read the comments written under their photos. She finally spoke. “Why are people so mean? Why did they say all those hateful things about me? Look at this.” She continued reading. “Couldn’t he find somebody prettier to marry? Her dress looks like something she had her grandmother make. She needs to lose fifteen pounds. It’s a good thing that they had a Vegas wedding, ‘cause you know it ain’t gonna last long.”

“
I’ve seen worse. People feel so comfortable and safe spewing their opinions from their living rooms. And you got to remember that the comments are fueled by jealously. Why else would they say those things? They don’t personally know us.”

Simone tugged at her clothes. “Do I really need to lose fifteen pounds?”

“
Not at all. You’re a very beautiful, sexy lady.”

She smiled at him, the garbage from the Internet quickly forgotten. “Thanks, it’s too bad you’re gay, otherwise I’d jump your bones.”

J.T. returned her smile. “If I was into ladies, I’d be all over you too.”

Simone stood outside J.T.’s bedroom door. They had agreed that they sleep together tonight. Since he was out practically every night of their honeymoon, they didn’t share a bed in Turks & Caicos so this would be a first. Simone took a deep breath then knocked on the door.

“
Come on in!” J.T. called.

Simone cautiously opened the door then stood on the threshold. J.T. was sitting on his bed, bare chested, wearing a pair of creamy white silk pajama bottoms with a bowl of trail mix within arm’s reach, watching TV. Dozens of elegant looking lit candles were placed throughout the master suite, giving off a romantic glow, the lights were turned down low and an opened bottle of wine was on a tray next to the bed.

“
Are you ready for me?”

He waved her in.

She strolled into the room and groaned when she saw what he was watching. “Not you too, it seems like every guy I know loves this movie. Lawrence can quote it.” She settled on the bed on the opposite side of the bowl.

“
Scarface is a classic, besides it almost over. Have something to drink.”

“
Nu uh, I’ve had too much to drink already. I’ll just have some of this.” She grabbed a handful of trail mix and tossed it in her mouth.
This is nice
. She peeked over at J.T., he was focused on the movie as though he hadn’t seen it before, but by the way he quoted the scenes verbatim she knew that wasn’t the case.
He is so fine; the man has muscles for days.
Suddenly a pang of regret shot through her. She thought about Kirk and wished that he was sitting next to her. The huge bed, layered with dozens of pillows, the soft lighting, with the candles burning and the wine was the perfect combination for a sensual evening with a lover. She looked again at her gay husband and wondered what the hell she had done. Subsequently, she studied her surroundings. I made the right decision; she decided and nestled into the pillows.

“
Have you, you know ever been with a lady?” Simone asked. T.J. had taken out the movie disk and turned the TV to ESPN, it droned lightly in the background.

“
Yeah. Prom night. It was the thing to do. I had been dating Felicia the head cheerleader for about three months. And I was way overdue for getting it in. Anyway, I got the prerequisite motel room, and got drunk out of my mind. Between fantasizing about George Michael and being drunk I was able to fumble my way through. We continued seeing each other until we both left for college.”

“
You ever see her or talk to her?” Simone asked, thirsting to know everything about her husband.

“
During our freshman and sophomore years we kept in touch and visited each other during breaks, but that’s it. She’s a big time entertainment lawyer in L.A., single and no kids.”

“
Why didn’t you ask her?”

J.T. chuckled. “Naw,” he drawled. “Felicia would’ve wanted to run the show.”

“
Oh.” As soon as she understood what he meant her eyes widened. “And I’m a pushover, a big time pussy, someone that you can tell what to do?” she raged, her face reddening.

“
No, calm down,” he said slowly grasping for his words, all the alcohol he had drunk was beginning to affect him, it loosened his tongue. “You’re easy to get along with and I sensed that after talking with you at the diner. And the more I get to know you the more confident I am that I made the right decision. We make a great team. Don’t you think?” He gave her a lopsided grin.

“
We do,” she agreed. “So where did you go to college?”

“
Duke. I got a football scholarship and the rest was history,” he replied sleepily.

She grabbed a handful of trail mix, then nonchalantly asked, “So that’s where you met Kirk?” She averted her gaze and tossed the nuts in her mouth.

“
Yeah we were frat brothers, then he went on to Harvard.”

She dug a little deeper. “I bet you two have stories to tell.”

The wine had lowered J.T.’s defenses, he burrowed deeper into the pillows. “Believe it or not Kirk, was a geek, women were chasing him down, but he had blinders on, he was focused on getting his degree then going on for his master’s, but it paid off, my man is worth millions,” J.T. said proudly and Simone smiled. “
But
as soon as he got his first million, the dog was let loose and he had a lady in every city, I think he still does,” J.T. slurred, his eyes were closing.

“
Good night big boy.” She walked around the master suite and blew out all the candles then turned out the lights. She debated whether to wake J.T. up so that he could get under the covers, she decided against it.
He’ll wake up if he gets too cold.

Simone pulled back the covers on her side of the bed and slid in. “Ah, this is heaven,” she whispered before drifting off to sleep.

Chapter
9

Simone jogged down the stairs, she was on her way to the indoor pool, but wanted to stop by the kitchen to get a quick snack. During her free time she had wandered around the mansion, familiarizing herself with it. All the staff was wonderful, she had met Mrs. Robinson, the housekeeper and Ernesto the chef, they all welcomed her with open arms. If they suspected that hers and J.T.’s marriage was a fraud, they didn’t let on.

She skidded to a stop when she saw Kirk sitting at the island with a plate in front of him, he had a sandwich, a pasta salad with chips on the side. He was thumbing through a magazine. She was in the middle of debating whether to just leave and come back later after exercising or to join him for a bite to eat, when he looked up.

“
Hey, come join me.”

She remembered J.T.’s threat. “Um no. I thought I was hungry but now I’m not,” she said then turned to go.

“
Come on Simone, come eat with me. I hate sitting here by myself.”

Simone went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a banana and a packet of trail mix. Kirk watched as she pulled a dish from the cabinet, peeled the banana then placed the banana in the microwave.

His blue eyes widened with amusement. “What are you doing?”

The microwave dinged, she pulled open the door and got her warmed fruit. “I hate cold fruit,” she replied nonchalantly before picking up fork and butter knife.

“
That’s weird,” he teased.

Simone sat across from him. “Not really have you seen that TV show where people eat all that strange stuff like, toilet tissue, dirt, nails, detergent. Now that shit is weird.”

“
It is. I guess you’re normal then,” he joked.

“
Well thanks for your stamp of approval, I’ll notify the AJC,” she quipped, then sliced her banana into little pieces and stabbed a circle with her fork and stuck it in her mouth.

“
Well damn, I have to take back what I just said, you are weird,” he teased.

“
I’m not!” Simone objected. She gestured towards the kitchen, but it really encompassed the whole house. “This place does this to me. Even though everybody has been so nice, I still feel like I need to be prim and proper and dress up just to walk around this place.”

He stared pointedly at her breasts, pouring out of her bikini top. “Well obviously you aren’t feeling like that now.”

She had put on one of the skimpier swimsuits Mannie had picked out for her honeymoon, since she didn’t expect to see anyone she had only thrown on a sarong and a pair of Juicy Couture flip flops. Simone boldly met Kirk’s gaze. “I guess not.”

Just then Aleesha walked into the room. She politely acknowledged Simone, but she nearly fell over herself trying to get to Kirk and Simone watched the scene play out with amusement. She mashed her banana then sprinkled some trail mix over it.

“
Hey Kirk,” Aleesha said while sidling up to him. “So how you been doing?”

He smiled faintly at her. “Great Aleesha.”

“
So what have you been up to?”

“
Nothing, just working, keeping busy,” he answered then focused on his sandwich, dismissing her.

Aleesha watched him, waiting for him to say more, when she saw that he wasn’t, she turned away. “Okay then, I’ll see you later.”

Simone and Kirk watched her skulk out of the kitchen. “Wow, that was awkward,” Simone finally said.

Kirk groaned. “God, I know. I never should’ve slept with her.”

“
You what?”

“
Yeah, we hooked up about a year ago. It was only for a month or so, and I feel so bad because she’s still interested, but I wasn’t feeling her.”

“
Why not? She’s beautiful, smart, sweet and she got one hell of a job.”

“
Yeah, she’s all that, but she didn’t have
it
.”