“I knew it was something. I've been here for almost thirty minutes and you haven't even kissed me.”
Nokea looked up at me and that same powerful feeling I felt with Scorpio came across me. There was no denying that I was in love with Nokea, but now, it was easy for me to admit that I had
some
love for Scorpio too. For me to have gone as far as I did, it was obvious. I continuously interfered with Scorpio's relationships. Being as jealous as I was of them, the proof was in the pudding. No matter what, though, the love I had for Scorpio could never amount to the love I had for Nokea. Deep down, I knew it and Scorpio knew it as well.
As I kissed Nokea, it was hard for me not to think about where my lips had been only a few hours ago. I paused and pecked Nokea's forehead. The step I'd taken tonight required me to close my eyes and ask for forgiveness. Already, I could see my mother shaking her head and Nanny B looking at me with disgust. Even Stephon was yelling that I was a dog-ass nigga who didn't deserve Nokea. I could hear Shane telling me how wrong I was for making such a move. I was human. Even though I hated to admit it, I wasn't perfect. My flesh was weak, and this was firsthand experience as to just how weak it was.
With my eyes still closed and head lay back on the pillow, Nokea interrupted my thoughts.
“Hey, baby, can I ask you something personal?” she said.
“Of course.”
“You mentioned that in your dream, you had millions and millions of dollars. I don't keep up with your financial status, but isn't it fair to me that you be a bit more specific about those kinds of things?”
“Yes, and if you ever want to know, all you have to do is ask. Anything you want or need, you can have it. What's mine is yours. It's not that I've been keeping our finances a secret, it's just that you rarely ask about our financial status.”
“I do look at our bank statements, but you have accounts that belong solely to you. For the sake of our children, I don't know if that's a good idea.”
“I agree. It's not.”
“All I want to know is, is there more than $15 million in your combined accounts?”
“Yes.”
“Twenty-five?”
“Yes.”
“Thirty-five?”
“You're on to something.”
“Fifty?” she looked shocked.
“You're very close. I promise you that when we get home, I'll reveal everything to you.”
Nokea lay her head back on my chest and rubbed it. I thought it was ironic that she had brought up this subject at this particular time. A woman's intuition, I guessed. “Can I ask why, all of a sudden, you're inquiring about our finances?”
“Because I'd been thinking about the yacht you'd purchased. That thing cost some serious dollars. I felt so foolish for not knowing that we could afford something like that. I don't like being kept in the dark, and I do want to know about all of our assets. A husband and wife should know those kinds of things. It's only fair to me.”
I was real uneasy. I didn't know if it was just my guilt eating away at me or if Nokea knew something she wasn't telling. I love her more than anything in the world, but nobody could be trusted with the amount of money I'd given away in my dream. After my
interesting
night with Scorpio, this was a touchy subject for me. Surely, though, if Nokea knew I had been intimate with Scorpio, I wouldn't live to see tomorrow, nor would we be lying in bed having a civil discussion.
“Like I said, baby, it's whatever you want. Next week, I will make arrangements for us to meet with my financial advisor and Frick.”
“Thanks,” Nokea said, as she lifted her head to give me a tiny peck on the lips.
Afterward, she reached in her purse and pulled out a silver picture book. When she lay back on my chest, she opened the book and it displayed many digital pictures of us.
“This was your anniversary gift,” she said. “I was too embarrassed to give it to you.”
“Why?” I said, admiring the cute and memorable pictures of us. “Woman, this book is priceless. We make an adorable couple, don't we?”
“Yes, and look at this one,” she said. “This was taken when you were nineteen and I was eighteen, remember? You were so handsome and bad to the bone.”
I smiled at the picture. I couldn't believe Nokea was embarrassed to give this to me. The yacht didn't compare to our memories together. As we lay in bed laughing at the pictures, I told her just that.
Chapter 31
Scorpio
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Nearly a year and a half ago was the last time I'd seen Jaylin. I was now a happily married woman and Bruce and I were doing well. At first, I'd talked myself out of getting married because that interesting night with Jaylin couldn't be forgotten. He admitted to being in love with me, but made it clear that he'd never, ever leave Nokea. The moment he strutted in my house with confidence, casually dressed, tanned as ever and smelling good, I knew it would be a life changing moment for me. There was no way in hell I was going to let him leave without giving me something to remember. I'd waited a long time to feel the satisfaction only he could give me, and it started with a juicy long kiss. It was like magic, and when all of the touching, feeling and stroking was over, he left.
Yes, I hated to see him go. To put me at ease, he called and talked to me until he reached the hotel. During our conversation, he made me smile. We talked about how we'd missed making love to each other. We discussed his dream, and I was glad we made part of it a reality. According to Jaylin, I'd gotten my feelings hurt in his dream, but to me, being with him, that kind of hurt came with the territory. He continued to pressure me about marrying a man I didn't love. When I asked if he ever thought he'd be available, he responded again,
“Unfortunately, that day will never come.”
With that being said, my wedding day went off without a hitch. Surely, because Jaylin had revealed his love for me that night, I kept hoping he would show up and I'd be able to drop my bouquet on the floor and run away with him. I even thought I'd seen him peeking around corners, but I knew it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. Then, several months later, out of the blue, I received documentation from Jaylin's attorney. Jaylin gave up custody of Mackenzie. I knew that closed the final chapter of our lives. He had his own family and was with who he was destined to be with. So was I.
A few months after I was married, Bruce and I purchased a new home and we shared it with our two children. Almost nine months after the honeymoon was over, Bruce Jr. was born. As he sat on my lap at the park, I held his hands with mine. I then turned him to face me. Every time I looked into his eyes, it took me back to that unforgettable night with Jaylin. Bruce Jr. had many of Jaylin's features. Even Bruce had commented on how his son looked more like me, not him. When it came to making babies, my credibility had been shot. I refused to go through the headache of finding out the truth. My desires for Jaylin were gone. I had no intentions whatsoever to ever disrupt or disturb his happy home. We both agreed not to share the detailed events of that night with anyone. In order for peace to prevail, my secret would go to my grave with me.
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