Page 13

MOMENTS BEFORE…

“ N ot waking me is cruel, don’t you think?” Alex stepped in the shower behind me, and I didn’t mind. Forty minutes were all we had left on the clock for us and if he wanted to torture himself then I was all for it.

“I fucked you to sleep, Alex. You were deserving of uninterrupted sleep. I was being considerate,” I answered with his arm snaking around my waist.

“Did I not make myself clear about breakfast in bed? Why take that away from me when you know how addicting that pussy is?”

Laughing, I shook my head from side to side. Thinking he was the main character was funny. This was my anniversary, and he was a toy being thrown back over the fence to its owner in a matter minutes. Their contracts forbidden any attachments and yet he had one for me.

“You did, but I never agreed, Alex. I have somewhere to be, and I can’t be late.”

“If I had more time, maybe your mind would change. I mean, you came on my tongue and dick effortlessly, beautiful. You can’t tell me that nigga doing the same.”

“There’s a lot of things I could tell you about my husband but then you’d want to fight for being less than. When it comes to him, there’s no competition. I know you might think there is, but I can assure you there isn’t.”

I spoke highly of my husband because he deserved it. From how he spoke about his career, we wouldn’t last even a full month. I was a woman that needed T.L.C daily and Tristan provided that. Tristan was a man.

Excuse me.

He was the man.

“He’s a lucky man and I hate that he has you to himself. The things I would do to get you more often.”

Gentle kisses were placed along my shoulders while his hand slipped between my thighs.

This was Alex’s last time touching anything on me, and I had a feeling he picked up on it as well.

He was trying his hardest to get another dose of me, but nothing was seeming to work out for him.

He was begging and it was turning me off the more he did it.

Politely removing his hand, I pivoted the conversation toward his marriage. “Simone is exactly where your mind should be shifting. One day with me isn’t nearly enough to get you to leave her behind.”

“It’s not but its damn sure enough to propose a deal.”

“Deal? Are you serious right now?” A hearty laugh erupted in my throat. It was too comical for him to think I would make a deal without my husband present for number one. Second, nothing about me screamed Howie fuckin’ Mandel.

“You know it’s rude to laugh in someone’s face.” He acknowledged it and I truly didn’t give a fuck.

“So, I’ve been told. However, you told a joke so what else am I supposed to do.”

I stepped out the shower wrapping myself in a towel. He was right behind me disregarding one. I’d packed my things back up as soon as I woke this morning. My alarm on my watch went off at five on the dot. I was more than ready to be back in my husband’s embrace.

My phone sat on the sink next to my toothbrush.

I tapped the screen, and the time read 5:40 a.m. I’d already handled my face and mouth before entering the shower.

All I needed was ten minutes to get myself together and I’d be out the door.

I wasn’t the woman who took forever to get ready.

My attire was a white sundress that stopped at my heels and a white panty and bra set underneath.

“Hear me out at least. This could be something worth your while. You never know.”

“I doubt it,” I said drying off then taking a seat on the tub.

“You and Tristan come to the island once a year to indulge in God knows what so why not take it outside of that? Become my side and none of this has to end. Your pussy enjoys me, beautiful, and I think you’re doing yourself a disservice by ignoring that.”

“No one is paying you to think, Alex. They’re paying you to cook. I appreciate you and your wife making time for me and my husband, but that time has come to an end. Check out is at eleven. Find your wife and do whatever it is y’all do.”

I was done talking to him. Having the audacity to want me to be his side piece was beyond hilarious.

I was in a marriage where I sat at the head of the table next to a man that cherished the very ground I walked on.

My position wasn’t a side shit. That was degrading to a woman like me and very much disrespectful.

Once I was fully dressed, I was out the villa leaving Alex to himself.

I didn’t even take the time to moisturize my skin the right way because of how irritated I was.

This experience wasn’t ruined but dealing with that walk away had me thinking over some things.

I’d bring it up to Tristan as soon as we were reunited.

I walked into the lobby of the hotel checking the watch on my wrist. It struck six as soon as I gave it my attention.

Tristan never missed our designated time, so I knew something was up.

It was him that always waited on my arrival.

I wasted no time in heading for the elevators.

He was my property and if any bitch thought she would get him up off me was sadly mistaken.

The button was pressed and the doors opened seconds later. A couple stepped off and I entered behind them. I was so glad time was on my side. My thoughts weren’t all over the place and surprisingly, I was still calm. However, I felt like a bitch was trying me and that was never good for anyone.

The doors opened to Tristan’s floor, and I bypassed the other rooms until I reached his. I gave a triple knock and waited for it to be answered. I overheard my husband tell her to open the door and she refused to do so. I smirked and tried to keep my composure, but it was quickly slipping away.

“There’s nothing here for her. What fuckin’ belongings?” Simone yelled.

The light thud on the door and the muffled voice behind it let me know Tristan checked that shit. He ignored a lot of things but refusing to believe I was the one he moved mountains for always made him show his ass.

Seconds passed before I was finally face-to-face with my soul tie. He eyed me with so much love in his gaze. A smile graced his lips the longer he stared, and I couldn’t help but blush under his glare. His presence was missed. I couldn’t tell you how fast my soul settled seeing him.

“Mrs. Malore,” was all he got off before our lips crashed into one another.

The way he handled me, the way he caressed me, the way he fed me in this very moment was everything. His hands roamed my backside resting on my ass as usual. I was at peace with him and that felt better than sex. I moaned into him, reassuring him on his position in my life.

Hearing Simone clear her throat almost made me cackle. She was desperate for Tristan’s attention, and he had none left to give her.

“You better tell her who the fuck you belong to. I’d hate to beat her ass in this muthafucka,” I said commenting on her lil’ remark of me not having shit up in here. It didn’t matter what fuckin’ lifetime we were in, this man would always be mine.

“She knows, Mama. I can promise you that,” he replied.

I wanted to say more but I trusted my husband made it clear beforehand where his heart lied.

We walked away hand in hand not caring to look back and address Simone any further.

She was fuckin’ delusional. Her and her whacked out husband.

It was safe to say Tristan and I were on the same page cutting ties with them.

We made it to the main floor and headed for the restaurant inside the hotel.

A quick breakfast and breakdown before our departure.

We decompressed as a couple and that was something I enjoyed mor than anything.

There were no secrets between us. Whatever anyone brought our way, we’d already discussed.

That was how the Malores handled things.

I occupied the chair he pulled out for me placing my crossbody in my lap. Tristan sat across from me and looked at me like I was unreal. His gazes were ones you couldn’t buy. I loved that I didn’t have to be told how he felt about me because his eyes showed it more than anything.

“Did you enjoy your gift, my love?” I inquired.

“I did. Was yours at least satisfying?” he countered.

“It was. However, the Dunkins are our last exchange.” He slightly cocked his head to the side with dipped brows.

He needed clarification and I had no problem making my statement clearer.

“We’re done with The Melting Pot and The Hideaway.

I think eight years is more than enough.

Plus, the Dunkins made this experience…”

“Awkward and uncomfortable,” he chimed, finishing my sentence.

“Exactly. Everything was cool until Alex proposed for me to be his side chick. It took everything in me not to hit him in his shit.”

Tristan’s face was tight, and he flexed his jaws several times over. I knew what was brewing but he had nothing to worry about. Neither Alex nor another man would have access to me ever again. This was the end of the road for us as swingers.

“Side chick, huh?”

“Calm down, baby. I handled it and got the hell out of there. What was the deal with Simone? You said you wanted to cut them off before the exchange even took place. Did something happen?”

“She’s too clingy and her feelings are involved.

That woman told me she’d been waiting to feel me again not even knowing if we were going to double back or not.

She wears the same perfume as you do now, and she went crazy on how she was the better woman.

If you serious about giving all this shit up, I’m with it.

I was lowkey starting to be over it anyway. ”

“Why didn’t you say anything, baby? When I say you don’t have to do this, I mean that. Don’t ever do shit just to please me. It’ll always be you over any keep the spice moment,” I reassured him.

“I’m well aware of what choices I have. I did this because I was open minded and wanted to keep the spice as well. We were on the same page, Mama, so don’t overthink it. Those two dumb muthafuckas just irritated me into ending this shit altogether.”

“Cool. It’s a done deal then. Is there anything else on your mind?” Tristan always had the floor to express himself and speak on anything that he lingered on.

“Starting a family. We ready to expand, don’t you think?”

I blushed looking into his eyes. He asked for a child the year after we got married but neither one of us were in a place to be a parent. Now that time has passed, we were circling back to it. I didn’t mind giving him what he wanted. Besides, I was the only woman that could.

“I do.”

“Naomi? Tristan?” Our names were called out from a couple walking toward us. “We thought that was you. What in the hell are y’all doing here?”

I was nervous until I realized it was our college friends. Yasmine and Calico were together before Tristan and I, so seeing them together wasn’t surprising. It was the fact that they were on this island with us that caught me off guard.

“Enjoying our anniversary,” I answered standing from my seat. I hugged them both before relocating to the right of my husband while they sat across.

“ Ha! You hear that, baby?” Calico spoke.

“I did. We are as well,” Yasmine chimed with a smiling face.

“We did always end up with the same ideas all through college, so I guess this makes sense. Well, what’s y’all count?” Tristan questioned.

“Twenty years today. What about y’all?” Calico threw back.

“Eighteen yesterday. The odds of this link is crazy. What’s y’all plans?” I asked.

“We have a few hours before we swap with this couple so we’re hanging out.” Yasmine’s answer caused Tristan and I to look at each other and laugh.

All of us were like peas in a pod all through college so the fact that we operated damn near the same wasn’t shocking at all. Tristan and Calico were the same person just in two different bodies. The way this was coming full circle was indeed comical.

“What’s so funny?” Calico inquired.

“Oh nothing. We just finished ours with a couple here maybe twenty minutes ago,” I voiced.

“You stealing my ideas again, nigga?” Calico jested. Tristan shook his head while releasing a hearty laugh.

Our anniversary was ending on a good note regardless of that small hiccup we had departing.

Running into our friends lightened the mood a hundred percent.

The Dunkins were defeated in their proposals, and we had no remorse for the cut off.

To sit, laugh, and still have the same spark for each other was valued.

The Malores were happy and always would be.