Tameka's Smile

Chapter Three

Tameka groaned and rolled over, burying her head beneath the pillow. She’d done it again. This time, she couldn’t blame anyone but herself. He was leaving until she all but tackled the man to the ground.

Chad was insatiable. He’d woken her repeatedly during the night, the final time just a little before he left. If she could keep her thighs closed long enough to walk, it would be a miracle.

After last night, she was sure that they were bent into a permanently open position. She’d never been bow-legged, but that may have just changed.

She really wanted to go back to sleep, but she had things to do. Darn it! She gingerly rolled out of bed and hobbled to the bathroom. First order of business was a hot shower. Hopefully it would loosen her muscles. She’d used muscles last night in places she didn’t know had muscles.

After she was dressed, she stripped the linens off of the bed and stuffed them into the washer. Then she lit some vanilla scented candles. Her room smelled like Chad and sex. Even after she placed clean sheets on the bed, she could still smell him. She snatched them off, sprayed the mattress and pillows with Lysol, and remade the bed. While she was at it, she walked through the rest of the house, spraying as she went.

She’d figured out part of the problem last night. The man smelled good, too good. His scent was like the deepest, darkest, richest chocolate, the kind you looked at and just knew you were going to gain ten pounds because it was so good, and you wouldn’t be able to stop until every morsel was gone. The kind that melted on your tongue while its flavor exploded in your mouth, instantly addictive and “slap-yo-momma” good. He should come with warning labels, and the shame of it was, he didn’t even wear cologne. It was all him.

There. No more Chad. Just the clean, linen scent of Lysol.

Last night she’d been weak, but she was determined not to do this again. It would help strengthen her resolve if she didn’t smell Chad every time she rolled over. That problem taken care of, she went into the kitchen. After a quick breakfast of yogurt washed down with a glass of juice, she loaded her supplies into the car and headed to town.

Lulu met her at the door when she arrived. “Everyone, this is Tameka, Emma’s granddaughter. She’s going to be working in the shop.”

Everyone waved or nodded their greeting.

“Tameka, that’s Mona behind the register. She answers the phones, sets appointments, and handles the cash.” Tameka smiled. “Nice to meet you, Mona.” Mona was Hispanic, with long, curly dark brown hair, and big, brown doe eyes. She was also a hot Latina, so sultry and sexy looking that Tameka immediately felt inadequate.

“Over there, that’s Betty. She’s one of the stylists.” Another smile coupled with a nod. “Betty.” Betty was a black female in her early fifties. Her complexion was so light that you could tell that quite a few someones in her family tree were white. Her long black hair was liberally streaked with gray and she was bird thin. A good, brisk wind would probably blow her over.

“Go ahead and set up,” Lulu continued. “Either one of these stations are fine.”

“Thanks, Lulu.” Tameka gave her a peck on the cheek. She chose the first station on the left and commenced to setting up her equipment.

“Hey, Tameka. Glad you’re here. We need some fresh, young blood,” Betty informed her.

From what Lulu had told her, she and Mona were the youngest ones in the shop, and Mona wasn’t a stylist. “I’m glad to find a shop so close to home. I didn’t feel like driving into Colbyville each day, not with the way gas prices are going up.” They groaned at the reminder. Someone, she wasn’t sure which one, said, “Please, don’t remind me.”

“Tameka, you do extensions?” The question came from Mona.

“Depends on what you want done. I can glue and sew them in, but I don’t have the patience or experience to do fusions. I also do quick weaves.”

“What about updos? You do those,” the lone customer in the shop asked.

Tameka laughed at the excitement in the woman’s voice.

“Yes. Show me a picture of any style you want and I can do a pretty good rendition of it.”

“Oh, man,” Mona said reverently. “Wait until word gets out.

This place is going to be packed. I may need to work more hours.”

“As long as you don’t start missing school. That’s more important.”

“I know, Ms. Lulu. I’m not going miss now, not when I’m so close to graduation.” She rolled her eyes at Tameka, who bit back the smile trying to break free at her antics.

“What are you studying?”

“I want to be a Nail Artist. You know, one of those people who do all of those fancy designs on women’s nails?”

“Yes, I know what you’re talking about. If you can stand the fumes, you can make some really good money as a Nail Tech.”

“I plan to be the best. One day, I’ll work for the stars.” Mona’s voice was dreamy and her eyes had a faraway look in them.

“If that’s what you want, go for it,” Tameka encouraged.

“Lulu, I brought some hair style magazines, posters, and a few of my personal photo albums that show the work I’ve done. Is it alright if I lay them out in the waiting area?”

“Sure thing, honey. Tape those posters right up in the window. Maybe they’ll attract some customers our way. Do you have any business cards?”

“I made some new ones last night. I brought a few with me.”

“Give them to Mona. You’re going to be a big hit. Folks will be coming over from bigger towns just to have you do their hair.”

Tameka doubted it, but it was a nice thought. It’s not that she wasn’t good. She’d participated in a few shows in D.C., even won some awards for her styles, but she didn’t know how well the stuff she excelled at would go over here in the South. She kept her doubts to herself.

“Lulu, someone mentioned that the men in here have to go over to Colbyville to get their hair cut. I’m a pretty decent barber.” Actually, there wasn’t much she couldn’t do when it came to hair.

“That’s great. We sure do need one since old Bert retired. I don’t know how you’re going to handle both, though,” Betty said. She’d just returned from the bowl, washing her client’s hair.

“Easy,” Lulu answered. “We pick a day or two, depending on the volume, where Meka does nothing but barber. Or maybe a few hours each morning and the rest of the day is devoted to styling.”

“Works for me, Lulu. Whatever you say,” Tameka agreed.

Tameka climbed on top of a chair and, with Mona’s help, hung four of her posters in the large picture window, being sure to space them out attractively but still allow passersby to see inside. What she had weren’t the typical salon posters advertising products, but blown-up pictures of models sporting hairstyles she’d created.

Lulu came over to watch. “There’s a ‘Barber on Duty’ sign around here somewhere,” she muttered, looking around distractedly.

“I also have a sign announcing the types of styles I do—

braids, twists, ‘locs, as well as extensions and updos. It’s in the car.”

“Go get it and put it right here in the window. Anything that attracts more business to the shop is welcome. Make up flyers and we’ll distribute them to the businesses in town.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Tameka smiled. Lulu reminded her strongly of Grandma Emma.

She stretched, taping the last poster in place. Then she, Lulu, and Mona walked outside to admire her handiwork.

“Looks good,” Mona commented. “I’m so glad you’re here.

It’s time we had some new blood to shake things up in this town.”

Tameka shook her head. “I don’t know about shaking things up, but I’ll do my best to increase the clientele.”

Mona laughed. “Oh, once word gets out that you’re here, they’ll come running. Out of curiosity if nothing else,” she assured her. “Even if you aren’t as good as I suspect you are, they’ll come just to keep from driving so far. If you’re even better than I expect, we may even pull in folks from the surrounding areas.”

She walked to her car and took out her sign, along with the business cards she printed. The cards she gave to Mona. The sign she put in the bottom right corner of the window, right next to the entrance. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning at ten. I probably won’t have any customers, but I’ll be here anyway. Do you have class tomorrow?”

“No, tomorrow’s a free day. Why?”

“Would you let me do your hair? I won’t charge you anything. I want to use you for advertising purposes,” Tameka said quickly, before she could get the wrong idea.

“A free hairdo? Hell, yes. Just tell me when,” Mona exclaimed.

She sighed in relief. “No, you tell me when. You know your schedule and you’re doing me the favor. I’ll await your convenience.”

“I’ll be here when you arrive tomorrow. Let’s do it then.

Ms. Lulu won’t mind. What are you going to do to me?” Tameka studied her face and hair. “Probably an updo this time. Something simple yet trendy. If you’re willing to be my model, I’ll do different styles at different times, maybe experiment some. Is that okay?”

Mona’s eyes had grown big. “Do you know what you’re saying? You’re offering to be my personal hairdresser. For free!

Shoot, yeah. I’m yours.”

Tameka laughed at her excitement. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. “Alright. I’ll see you in the morning. Ms. Betty, Lulu, I’ll see you tomorrow. I need to get going.”

“Okay, honey. Take care.”

“Bye.”

Lulu turned to the others as the door closed behind Tameka.

“That girl is going to set this town on its ear and she has no idea.”

“Not a clue,” Betty echoed.

“Wait until the men realize there’s a new, young, pretty, unmated female in the area. They’re going to be all over her like fleas on a dog,” Betty’s customer commented.

“This ought to be entertaining,” Lulu commented.

“Let the games begin,” Mona intoned, and the others laughed.

Tameka went over to Colbyville and grocery shopped.

Three stores later, she was ready to head home. She drove home feeling good about her future. The people she’d met so far were wonderfully friendly. She loved the house and surrounding acreage she’d inherited. She was happy now that she hadn’t listened to her parents and sold the property, sight unseen.

When they’d heard from the probate lawyer that there was a large offer on the table for Momma E’s place, her father had dollar signs in his eyes. Her mother had joined in on the chorus to sell, sell, sell.

Tameka told them all no. She owed it to Momma E’s memory to at least try to honor her final wishes, and her dearest wish was that Tameka would find the same happiness she had, living in the relative peace and quiet of the mountains.

Momma E had met and married her second husband while on a cruise to Alaska. From all accounts, the two had been ridiculously happy together, despite their age difference. He was twenty years older, but in amazing physical condition. They’d had ten wonderful years together before he was tragically killed in a hunting accident. Though Tameka had spoken with him often, she’d never met him in person, being busy first with school, and later building her practice, which she’d eventually turned her back on. Another decision her parents thought her crazy for making.

Shaking off those depressing memories, she concentrated on putting the groceries away. She had food to last another month, maybe less if Chad was going to be a regular for dinner.

Not liking the way her heart jumped at the thought of him, she fixed a quick meal of a turkey sandwich with all the trimmings, grabbed a glass of tea, and went into the living room to eat.

Later, she was finishing the last of the flyers she’d created when she heard a vehicle in the driveway. She pulled the last of the still warm papers off of the printer and put them in a folder while waiting for the knock to sound at the door. When none was forthcoming, curiosity got the better of her and she went to the door.

Chad was outside, still sitting in his cruiser. She stood in the doorway a few minutes waiting for him to notice her before realizing something was wrong. As hot as it was, he was sitting in the car with all the windows closed and the engine off.

Concerned, she walked to the car and stood by his window. The moment she got a clear look at his face, her heart pounded an irregular beat and a feeling of dread grew in her stomach.

“Chad?”

He sat looking straight ahead, his fingers clenched on the steering wheel, face blank and eyes—what she could see of them—dead.

She opened the car door. “Chad, baby, what’s wrong?” He turned to gaze at her and the bleakness in his expression tore her tender heart in two.

“They’re dead. All of them. So young. So goddamn young.” He said nothing more, but those few words were enough.

“Come in the house.” If he sat out here much longer, he’d have a heatstroke. Sweat was pouring down his body, mixing with some darker stains on his shirt that she tried not to examine closely.

When he just sat there with the same forlorn expression on his face, she tugged on his arm until he passively allowed her to pull him out of the vehicle. She pulled him into the house, through the living room, straight into her bathroom. “You’ll feel better once you cool off.”

He just stood there, in his own horrible little world, staring into space. Moved by compassion, she undressed him and then herself, turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature, maneuvered them both into the tub and closed the shower curtain.

Tenderly, she washed him from head-to-toe, growing more and more concerned at his zombie-like state. When they were both clean and dry, she pulled him into the bedroom and pushed him down onto the side of the bed. “I’ll be right back. Let me put your clothing in the washer.”

She filled the washing machine with cold water, poured laundry detergent directly onto his clothes and more in the water, set it for heavy wash, and closed the lid. Those stains looked suspiciously like blood, but she didn’t really want to know.

Back in the room, Chad was sitting right where she left him.

She tucked the large, blue bath sheet around her body and made sure it was secure before straddling his lap. If ever a man needed a hug, this one did. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, crooning nonsense in his ear.

He was unresponsive at first. A few minutes passed before his arms slowly crept around her. He exhaled one harsh breath after another, then his arms tightened like a vise, crushing her to him. She could barely breathe, but that didn’t matter, not when Chad’s shoulders were shaking and his tears were scorching her shoulders.

She rocked him back and forth, cradling his head against her neck while stroking his hair, shoulders and back. Anything that she could reach. So lost was she in his silent misery that she was caught totally unprepared when he flipped her onto her back on the bed.

“I need…I have to…” he stuttered while ripping the towel off of her body. “Got to get closer,” he muttered.

He gripped her by the shoulders and lifted her higher onto the bed. Tameka willingly opened her legs when he pressed a determined knee between them.

“Help me forget,” he pleaded, his gaze desperate.

Tameka reached between their bodies and grabbed his cock, bringing it to her opening.

Chad whispered a fervent, “Thank you,” and then surged forward, joining them together. Once in place, he didn’t move.

“Hold me,” he requested hoarsely.

He was already in her and around her, his arms once more holding her in a bear hug. She wrapped her arms and legs around his body like a python and held on tight. She lost track of the length of time they lay that way before he began to move. Using nothing more than his hips, he retreated and advanced in long strokes that slowly set fire to her receiving body.

They didn’t kiss or touch in any other way. Just arms wrapped securely around each other as his shaft pumped in and out. He moved like a well-oiled machine—no faltering, no fluctuation, just a steady, relentless stroking that turned her mind to mush as her body caught flame and burned.

She forgot that this was about comforting him. She lost sight of everything except the thrust and retreat of his cock in her innermost being. Her hands slid down his back to grip his butt.

“Harder, baby, please. I’m so close.”

He nuzzled his face against the tender area beneath her ear, then followed it down to the tendon between her neck and shoulder. His teeth locked down, clamping her in place. Like she’d go anywhere, even if she could.

Her sheath contracted around him in response to his primitive action, and her hips surged up from the bed, seeking a deeper connection. Through it all, he maintained the same steady pace.

Tameka dug her nails into his flexing cheeks, and a growl rumbled up from his chest. The vibration traveled through his teeth and into her chest, and her nipples tightened into taut little beads. She was panting now, right on the edge. The smooth glide of his penis was neither fast nor forceful enough to push her over the precipice. Her heart beat fast in its cage, and sweat poured from her body as she strained against him, struggling to take what she needed.

He ignored her efforts as though he was lost in his own little world.

“Chad,” she cried out desperately. “Please,” she begged.

He switched angles, causing his pubic bone to bear down on her clit with each forward thrust. Her pleasure spiked tenfold. He licked the skin between his teeth, then bit down hard enough to draw blood.

Tameka dove off the cliff into a tsunami of an orgasm.

Vaguely she heard a voice screaming in the background, but the rest of her senses were overwhelmed. She collapsed back onto the bed, legs and arms splayed wide. Her heartbeat pounded like a drum and her lungs contracted furiously, trying to suck in much needed air.

When she came back to herself, she realized Chad was hard as steel inside of her, and he wasn’t moving. She cupped his jaw, trying to turn his head where she could see his face. “You didn’t…”

The expression in his eyes stole the breath right out of her lungs. She’d thought he was with her. Wherever his mind was, it wasn’t in this bed. His eyes were too haunted. She pushed until she got him turned onto his back. He threw his forearm over his eyes and lay there, sprawled carelessly, his shiny cock sticking straight up in the air.

He’d asked her to help him get his mind off of what happened and by God, that’s just what she’d do, if it took all night. Tameka grabbed a few pillows and made herself comfortable, her head even with his cock. She wasn’t good at giving blowjobs, but tonight she’d give the best one of her life.

She reached out and took hold of the base of his penis with her thumb and forefinger and slanted it toward her mouth. There was no time for subtlety or finesse. He needed a distraction and needed it now.

Drawing her lips back, she slowly engulfed his rod until it hit the back of her throat. It was by no means all of it, but still a good portion was in her mouth. Treating his cock like it was a raspberry-flavored Blow Pop—her favorite—she sucked on it, hard.

She didn’t bob her head up and down. She didn’t move her tongue all around. She just sucked and released, sucked and released, with the head of his sex pressed firmly against the roof of her mouth, held in position by her tongue. With her free hand she reached down and gathered his scrotum in her palm. Using the same motion as her mouth, she gently squeezed and released his balls with the same rhythm.

Chad muttered something incomprehensible behind her.

The muscles in his thighs began to bulge as his hips made mini thrusting motions.

Maintaining such intense suction quickly tired her jaw, but still she pressed on. Little spurts of pre-cum were leaking from him, mixing with the saliva in her mouth. Suctioning became easier as she continuously swallowed, trying to keep up with the fluid collecting in her mouth. Some of it still leaked past her lips to pool at the base of his shaft.

His thrusts were getting harder. After gagging twice, she wrapped her fist around the base of his cock to control the depth, using the same squeeze and release rhythm as her mouth.

Chad’s hand came down and tunneled into her hair, pressing against her scalp. “Suck me, baby. That feels good.

Don’t stop. Take all of me.”

She rolled her eyes but deepened her efforts. He wasn’t on autopilot now. He was fully engaged.

She watched as his legs stretched out long and lean, his toes pointed forward. His cock seemed to grow thicker, harder, and longer, but that was crazy. She was tired and imagining things.

She began to mentally urge him to come, not sure how much longer she could keep this up.

Chad growled, “So good. So fuckin’ good.” His voice was deep and guttural. That meant he was close, right? Facing away from him as she was, she couldn’t tell.

There was a ripping sound, like that of sheets being shredded. Chad’s hand clamped down like a vise, and his fingernails dug painfully into her scalp as he pushed steadily on the back of her head, pushing it lower as he pumped harder. She tried to resist but in his passion, he was too strong.

He let out a low animal growl that grew into a roar. With one final lunge, his seed erupted and shoot down her throat, faster than she could swallow. She choked and her throat tightened convulsively. Chad hissed and loosed more semen.

Before she could catch her breath, he dragged her up his body and kissed her senseless. “Thank you,” he murmured, while massaging her aching jaw.

“My pleasure.” As she searched his face, she realized she wasn’t just saying that. It gave her extreme pleasure to have chased the shadows from the depths of his eyes.

She cupped his left cheek. “Are you hungry? I can fix something. I went to the grocery store today.” Chad shook his head.

“Thirsty?”

“No, all I need is right here in my arms.”

Like grandmother, like granddaughter. How can she let one

of those things touch her? She doesn’t deserve this land. All the

more reason for me to take it from her. By the time I’m through

with her, she’ll beg me to buy it.

Chad’s voice came out of the darkness. “The call came about three-thirty. From the way dispatch sounded, I knew it was going to be bad.” He paused.

Tameka laid silently, her head resting on his chest.

“I was first on the scene.” He swallowed hard and she stroked his chest, a reminder that he wasn’t alone. “It was worse than I imagined, worse than anything I’d seen in the military.” Again he fell silent.

She patiently waited. He had to tell this his way. If she pushed, he might clam up.

“The truck driver fell asleep. It’s the only thing we can figure. Nothing else makes sense. Otherwise, he would have had to see them.”

When he fell quiet again, Tameka wasn’t sure she wanted him to continue. The hair on her nape was standing on end.

Chad’s voice was so low, she had to strain to hear him.

Then she wished she hadn’t. “He plowed right into them. They never stood a chance. An eighteen-wheeler, carrying a full load, going full speed…the mini-van was stopped, waiting for the school bus to finish unloading…”

Her heart began to stutter as comprehension dawned. Oh, my, God! No!

“It knocked the bus off the road and onto its side. Kids were screaming, crying…pandemonium. The van…” his voice broke.

His fingers dug into her back. She’d have bruises tomorrow, but what were a few marks compared to what he’d witnessed?

“Seven kids…one family…all dead.”

Tameka bit down on a knuckle to keep from crying out.

“The oldest was seventeen. The youngest two…” his voice faded.

They were both silent.

“Too damn many body bags.”

Tameka clung to him, sharing his horror, his grief. Dear God, that poor family. Those children. She even felt sorry for the truck driver. This was why she gave up her practice, too many broken-hearted people. People she couldn’t fix. Too many people looking for answers she didn’t have.

“One of them bled to death in my arms before Rescue arrived. I couldn’t save him.” He swallowed. “He was such a cute kid.”

By this point, tears were streaming down her face.

“I lost it,” he confessed. “Rome sent me home. Told me to take a couple of days off. Get my head together.”

“And you came to me,” she finished softly.

He stiffened beneath her. “Should I have gone home?”

“No,” she vehemently denied. “I’m glad you came to me.” She didn’t examine her reaction; just knew that it was true.

He relaxed and let out the breath he was holding. “My job isn’t always easy. Most times it’s quiet—routine, but occasionally…it’s bad. Most women couldn’t deal with it.”

“I’m not most women,” she assured him, not realizing the implications of what she was saying.

“No, you’re not,” he agreed quietly.

They lay in companionable silence until a growling stomach disturbed the quiet. Tameka raised her head and looked at him with a grin. “Someone’s hungry.”

He brushed her hair back from her face. “I wouldn’t turn down another offer of food.”

Her expression blossomed into a full-blown smile of relief.

“Luckily for you, I grocery shopped this afternoon. I’m fully stocked.”

The burgeoning smile on his face disappeared. “I should have been here to assist you.”

Flustered, she didn’t know what to say. It was just food, after all, not furniture.

Seeing that she was lost for words, he grinned crookedly at her. “Let’s go see what you’ve got.”

Bemused, Tameka rose from the bed and followed him into the kitchen.

Hours later, Chad lay cradling his woman in his arms. She had no idea the priceless gift she’d given him today. No one had ever comforted him before Tameka. He dealt with the hard knocks of life on his own. He’d learned at an early age not to depend on any one but himself.

Instinct…his wolf…something, had driven him to her today. Had he been thinking clearly, he’d have gone home to lick his wounds like he normally did. That she’d accepted him, cared for him when he was at his weakest…he didn’t have words to describe how that made him feel.

If there’d ever been any hope of him letting her go, she’d killed it tonight with one simple act of kindness.

Mate!

He nuzzled his face in her hair, inhaling her perfect scent.

She was his, and he’d kill anyone who tried to take her away from him. His wolf growled in agreement.