Part Five

            Ezekiel really had no intentions of going after her. So what he felt good when she was touching him and how her mouth seemed to relish the taste of his skin. He had been enthralled in what she was doing to his body to pay too much attention to her face. True, she had been a beauty and calling her a queen had just been in his habit when he did this with women of her type.

            Damn! No woman had ever thrown him completely off like that.

            It had been the reason why he had stopped the game. He knew if he went any farther he would want more than just touching and tasting. And he knew damn well if she had answered his rhetorical question positively, he would have practically dragged her back in the bedroom and tossed her in the center of the bed.

            Just thinking about it aroused his manhood again and Ezekiel took a second to calm his libido down. Don’t lose control. Don’t ever lost control again. She was just a hooker, he told himself. His fear… he just couldn’t get over his fear and he didn’t want anyone to know about it EVER!

            But how had she known that information about him?

            Going into the bedroom, he was slightly amused knowing she had made up the bed, but then he saw the pile of torn up money.

            No hooker would tear up money!

            A panic overwhelmed him. Damn! Damn! Damn! She was not a hooker.

            Then who was she?

            It took two minutes to get his clothes on and then another two minutes to get the elevator back up.

            A provocatively dressed, dark skinned woman with bleach blonde hair and too much makeup stepped out the elevator, but Ezekiel ignored her and stepped on the elevator going down.

            Leon was standing in the front of the elevator looking confused when Ezekiel stepped off.

            “Damn man, you’re done already?” Leon asked surprised. “I just sent her up there.”

            “Who was that girl you sent?” Ezekiel demanded to know.

            A little fear passed through Leon’s beady dark eyes and he licked his crusty lips before answering, “Dee. Was something wrong?”

            Ezekiel couldn’t explain it, but the urge to see the interesting woman again was all too consuming. “No, was she from the class?”

            “You told me not to pick from the class. I ain’t stupid man. Was there something wrong with her? I just sent her up.”

            “No, I mean the other girl you sent up an hour and a half ago.”

            Leon looked confused as if Ezekiel was speaking Japanese. “I didn’t send up any girl, Zeke. I’m good, but not that good. You requested freshly washed.”

            Turning to the elevator valet looking very put out, Ezekiel asked, “Did a young lady come down about five or ten minutes ago?”

            “No, sir,” the attendant answered.

            Ezekiel was almost starting to believe he had imagined her. “Are you sur?” Frustration was clearly in his voice.

            “Yes sir.”

            Leon interrupted the question by asking. “Where do you think this girl came from?”

            “If I knew that, Leon, then I wouldn’t be down here asking stupid ass questions,” Ezekiel barked, losing his patience.

            “Look man, don’t get high and mighty on me. We go back too far for some shit like that,” Leon snapped getting offended.

            “Right now, Leon, I could really give a rat’s ass about how far we go back. I had no intentions of even coming to this stupid reunion with you people.” Ezekiel really had no intentions of bringing private mess out like this either, but Leon was pushing his buttons. “I wanted to forget each and every one of you. And the only reason I am here is to tell you face to face you better not ever call me, blackmailing my ass about helping you with any business dealings. If you wanted a favor all your black ass had to do was ask.”

            “What you mean by you people?”

            “If you’re going to try to take offense at every fucking thing I say, then just fuck off, Leon, and I’ll just forget about doing any favor for you at all.”

            Leon calmed himself down and changed the subject carefully, “Okay, man… well how did she look?”

            Ezekiel had to get himself to calm down so he could remember how she looked. “Medium size, medium build with these sensual eyes, long thick dark hair and…” A worshipful mouth and hands that made him feel like a damn king.

            “That is not Dee, Zeke and you damn well almost describe every black woman in the class. You gotta be a little bit more specific.”

            Never having to describe a lover, Ezekiel couldn’t form the words in his head to even come close to the exotic beauty he had the honor to be with.

            Leon noted his frustration and asked, “What do you want me to do?”

            Reaching in his pocket, Ezekiel pulled out a couple of bills, “Pay the girl you sent up and get her out of here,’ he ordered Leon just as the elevator doors opened up.

            Just as the elevator closed with Leon ensconced inside, the elevator attendant cleared his throat nervously. “Mr. Chambers, there was one thing I didn’t mention though.”

            Turning his attention on the attendant, Ezekiel folded his arms over his massive chest and looked upon the young black man warily.

            “Ya gotta understand that it was pretty busy around here ‘bout and hour and a half ago, so your boy was nagging me ‘bout girls and stuff, so I might have directed some people to the wrong elevator.” He began to sweat. “A girl – woman came over to me about an hour and a half ago looking for the party in the penthouse.” He wiped the sweat off his brow, but more immediately returned. “I was really busy, like I said before and it was so many people… well, I think I sent her up the wrong elevator – your private elevator.”

            “So I’m not crazy?” Ezekiel asked in relief just to be sure he heard right.

            “Sir, I really need this job. I got a new wife and a new baby. I can’t afford-“

            “Did she come down?”

            “No sir, I was absolutely honest about that. When I realized she had gone up, I really expected you to come down screaming and shouting about how some stranger was on your floor, and dragging her behind you. But she never came down because I was just waiting for her. I even accepted over time, even though I know my wife’s gonna kill me ‘bout that, because I wanted to make sure I was here when that woman came down.”

            Ezekiel cursed under his breath.

            “But,” the attendant said hesitantly. “About five or ten minutes ago, the elevator came from your floor and stopped on the third floor suites, which I thought was rather strange, cause like I said, I was watching it carefully.”

            So elated, Ezekiel almost hugged the attendant.

            Going over to the front desk, he demanded, “I need the listing of everyone on the third floor suites on my side of the penthouse I’m staying.”

            The desk clerk looked enamored by his commanding tone. “As much as I would like to help you, Mr. Chambers, I must respect our clients privacy.”

            Ezekiel put some twenties on the counter. “Now.”

            The clerk didn’t hesitate to print it out after taking the money.

            All he needed was to find a familiar name from high school or match it to the list of women at the reunion. This mystery woman had to have come from here. Her knowledge of him was just too personal.

            He would find out who she was and damn his own code, morals, ethics or fear, for just one more time in his life, Ezekiel would do what he wanted to do with her without his fear.

            Once he had the list, he called up Sheila Vance, who was in charge of this damn reunion.

            “I didn’t know you had arrived, Zeke,” she said elated. “You know everyone’s just really excited about you being here.”

            “Yeah, whatever.”

            “Especially me. You know we could … you know, relive old times, whenever you want, or do you still like to tease.”

            He really didn’t want to relive anything with Sheila Vance, no matter how pretty everyone thought she was. “Can you help me get a list of everyone attending the reunion?”

            She sounded slightly disappointed that he didn’t want to play word games with her. She wasn’t worth his time. “Sure, Zeke. Would you like me to bring it to your room late tonight?” I could sneak out just for you.”

            “You can leave it at the desk,” Ezekiel said brusquely. “Talk to you tomorrow at the ceremony.”

            He hung up before she said another word very glad to get off the phone with her. Yeah, he’d use her to get what he wanted. That’s how most women in his life had always been, all except ‘Brandy.’

            This chit had used him. But why? She was a horrible liar and she didn’t need the money. She knew who he was. And she didn’t want to be found out by him. What kind of shit was that.

            His cell phone went off, but it was a text message.

            Call me!

            That was an order, but Ezekiel had a feeling that it was work. It was always work from his estranged father. The man wanted to work him to death and if Ezekiel allowed him to, the man would.

            ‘Sleep is for fools. You can sleep when you die.’

            Ezekiel had tried his whole life to please this man, but then came to the conclusion there was nothing he could do to please Wrothrex Chambers. The man had been so dissatisfied with his own life that he had gone so far as to drop his family name’s make a million dollar business for himself and vowed to have nothing to do with his own family. The only reason he put up with Ezekiel was that his son was his only blood benefactor and had to deal with Grandmother Chambers’ estate to bequeath to Ezekiel’s wife. Or whomever Ezekiel decided to choose – if he even chose because every potential woman Ezekiel brought to Wrothrex was a disappointment and could not bare that old man’s acidic tongue.

            Which left Ezkiel, womanless, but that was fine with Ezekiel for now. Except deep inside he knew Grandmother Chambers would not be happy knowing Ezekiel was turning thirty and there would be no grandchildren before that time.

            Yet, what had his grandmother expect to accomplish allowing Wrothrex to be the determining factor of who should receive her estate?

            Did she really thing that somehow this would bring her son back to the family?

            Wrothrex would be a complete ass until the day he died. And Ezekiel wanted nothing to do with his father.

            Getting back up to the room, he tore the clothes off his body exhausted from the day’s events.

Part Four

            Grae watched as he rose from the bed as if in slow motion. His body was as close to perfection any woman could dream for. It didn’t matter about his skin tone nor that every white man Grae had ever met seemed selfish and self-absorb and made them completely uninteresting.

            Expelling the breathe she had been holding in since he had last spoken, her eyes danced in delight as he walked across the room with any shame at all.

            This was Ezekiel Chambers – a man she had lusted for since childhood and she still lusted for.

            He walked over and picked up the towel to wrap around his waist. Ws he going to get something else to eat off her body? Whip cream? Fudge topping? Or maybe another game to arouse her to lose control and have at him any which way possible?

            No, he didn’t do any of these things. Ezekiel walked over to the closet, reached in the jacket and pulled something out before returning to the bed.

            She watched in confusion as he laid two hundred dollar bills on the bedside table. “I’ll leave you alone to get dressed.”

            With that he walked out the bedroom closing the door behind him.

            ‘That’s it?’ her mind screamed, staring at the money on the table feeling cheap all over.

            ‘What kind of sick shit game was he playing now?’

            Jumping out the bed angrily, she started to pace. ‘What the hell was his problem?’

            Ezekiel was beyond gorgeous and any woman – white, black, Chinese or even blind would be honored to being in the same room with him naked.

            So why would he have to pay?

            Furiously dressing, she could still feel his lips on her body and his hands playing with her skin. Damn him!

            How could he get a woman excited like this and just walk away?

            Grae looked at the money again. And he had the nerve to pay for that?! As if he was doing her a favor?

            Bastard!

            Picking up the money, she tore it into shreds and left it back on the table by the bed. Yet that didn’t quench her anger. So she picked up the jar of honey and pulled the sheets back to carefully pour the honey at the foot under the covers.

            ‘Let him deal with that shit,’ she told herself in triumph as she calmed herself down and even went so far as the fix the bed neatly – even going so far as to refluff the pillows.

            She fixed her hair and makeup before leaving the room, but came to an abrupt stop as she spotted him facing her sitting beside the fireplace holding a canter of brandy.

            “What’s your name?” he demanded to know in a cool voice.    

            Grae was never one to lie, but for some reason she didn’t want the knowledge that she had come here to get out and since he didn’t know her she wanted it left like that.

            “Brandy,” she said because she was not a great liar or a person with a great imagination.

            His eye twitched at her in a bit of distrust but he didn’t press it.  “Who sent you up? Very few knew I was even here.”

            “Does that matter? You got what you wanted, right?”

            Again his eye twitched and yet he still didn’t press it. “For some reason you’re different, Brandy. For the first time, I didn’t want to just play with your body. I wanted to do more.”

            In her mind, Grae asked, ‘Then why didn’t you?’ But outwardly, she didn’t say anything.

            He continued, “But then I knew you would stop me, right?”

            She didn’t answer, because she was nervous that as rhetorical as he wanted that question to be, that he would carry her back in the bedroom and do some serious lovemaking or would it be lustmaking? The thought made her tingle all over.

            Ezekiel stood up and walked up to her. Grae didn’t move a muscle except to look up at him. Gently caressing her cheek, he almost whispered, “Yes, definitely different.”

            “Different? Because I’m not ugly or fat? Is that what gets you off?” she snipped.

            He smiled gorgeously at her. “Beauty is not all on the outside of a person, my queen. And I’ve always believed there’s more ugly inside that on the outside.”

            “And you’re full of shit, Ezekiel Chambers. Why would you participate in that stupid club then?”

            Suddenly his grip tightened on her chin and his angry green eyes locked with hers. Every nerve in her body wanted to just run out of there, but she found herself unable to move

            He moved his body inches from her and forced her to keep eye contact with him. “When you run in the circles I have to run in, then you have to associate with people who honestly believe business can only be done with a certain type of skin color. Business that leads to a lot of money and a lot of power.”

            “But you would rather throw morals and hide like a coward to your own wants?” She snatched her chin away from him to turn away, but he grabbed her arm and whirled her back around.

            “I’m not fool and I know your name isn’t Brandy.”

            “Fuck you!” she sneered.

            The elevator rang outside of the door. He must have called for it before she came out the bedroom.

            “You know a hell of a lot about me. I think its only fair-“

            “Fair? That shit you pulled on me in the bedroom wasn’t fair!” She hustled out the room and jumped on the elevator.

            It closed just as he came into the hallway and she was glad. Instead of going back down to the ground floor she stopped at the third floor and found the steps to get to the lobby which were on the other side of the hotel near the other set of elevators.

            Getting to her room, she realized she had left her hotel key in his room.

            Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!

Part Three

            “Close your eyes,” he ordered in that firm, pronounced hypnotic voice.

            “I really should go,” she lightly insisted.

            He placed his hand over her eyes for a moment and then moved them away. With him facing her, she couldn’t use the light from the fireplace to see where he had hidden the honey.

            “Really, I should-“

            “You can’t go or you forfeit.”

            Curiously, she asked, “And what happens if I forfeit?”

            A wicked smile curled his lips and one brow rose in a very devilish glare as he leaned back slightly to give her room to kiss on him. “You really don’t want to lose to me, Queen.”

            Was that a threat? A warning? Grae’s heart was racing like a bullet train and she was positive it was about to shoot out her body if it went any faster.

            Leaning over him, she pressed her lips stiffly against his warm skin on his shoulder.

            “Cold,” he stated. “Very cold.”

            ‘Just get it over with! He couldn’t have put it that far!’

            She concentrated on his chest and moved over just an inch. After three more kisses over, she looked up at him to see he was staring down at her. Her nervousness increased. Tucking her legs under her and placing a hand carefully on his thigh to lean over more – careful to avoid the thick shaft that was still hard as Gibraltar, she moved down to place a kiss on his dark pink nipple. She heard him take a deep breath and his skin change. Fascinated, she found herself drawn to kiss the nipple again and watch in fascination as the texture hardened right there and goose bumps appeared.

            Had she done that?

            Moving over to the other one, by planting kisses over his biceps, she moved ever so slowly and this time fluttered the top of her tongue tasting his warm flesh. She thought about warm golden butter as she circled her tongue around the hardness and flickered it teasingly. His breath caught in his throat and she was slightly taken aback that he was clearly showing how much he was enjoying her touch.

            After moving over to his arm and still being unsuccessful in her attempt to find it, she whimpered in frustration.

            “You’re still very cold,” he said with that same wicked smile.

            Narrowing her eyes, she knew her direction had to change. She would have to go lower and that mean closer to…

            Moving her head down she kissed right below his rib cage. He leaned back farther to give her easy access. Inch by inch she moved lower very aware that his manhood was getting closer and closer.

            “Warmer,” he said when she was an inch from his belly button. In about two more inches, all she had to do was turn her head to the left and…

            Concentrating so hard on her direction, she forgot what she was looking for and shocked herself, when her lips felt the stickiness.

“That’s the spot,” he chuckled his stomach tensing and she knew her mouth was tickling him.

It was so sweet as her tongue first licked her lips and then proceeded to press hard against his skin to lick the rest of the honey out.

As she sat up to lick the rest of the honey off her lips and announce that she was going to leave, his hand came up so face to grip her neck. His mouth pressed against hers almost sucking the breath out her body. Sweet! So good! His tongue licked the rest of the honey off her lips and then pressed between them and tangled with hers. Sweeter! Better! Wonderful!

Her arms circled his neck and she felt her back lie against the bed while he moved above her. The kiss never broke, but she was so aware of his hands cupping her breast, feeling down her side and then moving between her legs.

‘NO!’ her conscious screamed, but her body opened up for him and his finger pressed inside her.

Grae’s gasped amazed at her wetness surrounding his protrusion. “Wait!” she cried. “No! no!”

He moved away, but not enough to let her up. He was lying on top of her and she could very well feel his manhood resting on her thong and stomach, but he used his arms to hold his weight.

“I have to go! This was a bad idea!” she insisted.

Frowning in slow motion, he shook his head. “You can’t go. Not without receiving your reward.”

Part Two

            Now Grae was about five foot eight. A rather tall size for a woman and it was always hard to find guys that she didn’t equal or tower over. On top of that, instead of just getting to be a slim five foot eight, she was thick in all the right places, so no skinny man would do it for her. The three-inch heels added on a lot of her and she was not an easy woman to match up with a man.

            Yet, this golden live statue of David all buffed up like he had just won Mr. Universe, was over six and a half feet, brawny with golden hair across his chest that led down to his belly and into the towel. Looking back up at his face, she gasped realizing exactly who this man was. True, he was gorgeous, but he was also Ezekiel Chambers. She couldn’t forget those sensual green eyes or the strong arrogant chin and the broad shoulders.

            She found herself licking her lips and unable to keep her eyes straight. “I-I was…” She had to take a breath because suddenly she couldn’t breath. “T-The party.”

            “I’m not going to the party as you can see. Get the jar off the table beside you and get in here.”

            Grae could feel his visual gaze licking over her body in a sensual caress.

            He stepped away from the doorway and walked away. The light that had been in that room on was now flicked off.           

            She looked for the table, which was by her hand and grabbed a jar. Looking at the thick golden liquid inside she realized it was honey. Why would he need honey?

            Maybe he wasn’t going to the party because he wasn’t feeling well? But shouldn’t she be heading to the kitchen to make him some lemon honey tea?

            “I’m waiting,” he growled impatiently from the other room.

            Going to the doorway, she clutched the honey to her chest. A low fireplace only lit this room and it was extremely warm. The windows were opened and she could see Chicago’s Downtown – a beautiful urban display set against the bed… the bed!

            But he wasn’t there. She found him sitting in a corner by the fireplace in a chair.

            “Aren’t you going to take off your clothes?” he asked.

            “I’m not suppose to do that,” she said obviously.

            He chuckled sensuously. “You’re not going to have sex. Is that what you thought? I’m not like the others. Trust me.”

            Others? What the hell was he talking about? Curiosity was killing her.

            “Take the clothes off,” he ordered. The words were said real slow and very pronounced.

            It was like his voice had put her in a trance and to not obey seemed suddenly ridiculous. How many nights had she imagined this? Was she dreaming now? If so, she didn’t want to wake up. She found her hand moving down and unzipping the skirt from behind. It shimmered down her thighs to her ankles. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ her mind screamed. She ignored her brain and took off her top so she was only standing in her lace black bra and thong.

            He gasped and she thought something was wrong. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. “Did you put the honey on your body somewhere already?” he asked.

            “On?” she asked confused.

            “Yes,” he answered pronouncing the last sound overly long. “Would you like me to close my eyes while you put some on. Surprise me and I’ll join you on the bed.”

            “Bed?”

            “The large comfortable rectangle object in the center of the room.”

            Grae realized he was being sarcastic.

            “You have fifteen seconds,” he ordered.

            “Now?” Grae asked.

            “Now.”

            She opened the honey. Her fingers were trembling as she dipped her finger in the sticky thick sweetness and applied it to her arm. Setting the jar on the table next to the bed, she laid down on the bed careful not to get the honey on the sheets.

            ‘What the hell are you doing?!’ her brain screamed again.

            ‘Would you shut the fuck up! This is Ezekiel Chambers and he’s looking at me! At me!’

            He stood and the towel dropped off his waist. It was her turn to gasp. Thick and pronounced – not his speech! His full-hardened shaft had already dripping. He moved over to the bed and stared down at her. The light was dim as he reached over and touched her collar lightly with just the tip of his fingertips.

            She bit her lip to suffice the whimper. Okay, maybe she should have listened to her brain, but damn if curiosity wasn’t making her lay her ass right there and watch his every move despite the dimness in the room.

            His weight made the bed lean down as he sat next to her, his flank brushing against her hand.

            Ezekiel Chambers was sitting naked beside her. NAKED!

            And try as she might her eyes were like a magnet drawn to stare at the beautiful erect shaft that seemed to be beckon her to taste. Grae suddenly realized that he moved his hands until they were on each side of her head and he was partially leaning over her.

            “Damn!” he hissed as he leaned over her. “You’re beautiful. Where did Leon find you?”

            Grae’s eyes widened.” Leon?! Set this up?” She didn’t answer because she wasn’t supposed to be here.

            “So where did you hide my honey?” he asked amused and leaned down further to plant kisses on her neck. Grae’s body and breath froze as his warm lips trailed down from below her ear. Her nose inhaled his arousing masculine scent along with Armani cologne. Damn himself! He smelled so damn damn good.

            Her body felt like an invisible grip had been placed upon it and no muscle obeyed her mind as it screamed for her to get the hell up off of the bed. Usually Grae could just obey, but this was Ezekiel Chambers. Someone else had inhabited Grae’s body and was not listening to her conscious. It was as if just the fact that this was Zeke made all the sense in the world, but it didn’t. He was just a man, just like any other man that Grae had refused to allow to touch her body, but yet…

            Not a muscle moved as his tongue flicked out and trailed along her ear.

            “M-Maybe I changed my mind,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes at how good it felt. Grae had gotten herself in deep shit and she didn’t know how to think her way out of this trouble. Her curiosity was going to be her downfall and there would be no way to explain. How are you going to show you face tomorrow once everyone knows?

            His mouth suckled hard on her neck and Grae moaned another protest, but it was incoherent to even her ears. It was a moan, mixed with a purr. He tasted every inch of her skin voraciously as if she had drenched her whole body in honey.

            His face moved down to her chest and Grae couldn’t move at all as his mouth licked, suckled and titillated her skin. It’s innocent, the evil voice said. He said no sex. He’s not like the others.

            ‘Crazy, get your ass up!’ her conscious yelled.

            That invisible grip was still there. She felt like she was outside of her own body watching, but also feeling what was going on. Grae couldn’t stop watching his pink mouth and tongue take its time licking over on her shoulder and then going down her chest until he raised a hand and pulled away her bra to reveal the dark nipple. It was like her whole body received a bolt of electricity and his mouth felt like fire and ice at the same time against the sensitive skin of her nipple.

            “My arm” she cried, raising up and pushing him off of her. “The honey is on my arm!”

            Her key card fell out on her lap and he placed it on the side table next to the jar of honey. His hand reached up and playfully pulled a tendril. Frowning, he said, “That’s no fair to tell, Queen.”

            Her name was not Queen! And there was no one in the graduating class by that name. Raising her arm, she held it out to him. “You were very cold and the way you were going, it was going to take hours.”

            “That was the point.”

            Why did she feel doubly wet between her legs at that statement? Sitting up straight and clearing her throat trying to concentrate on what her subconscious was saying, she said, “I should go. This was a very bad mistake.”

            “Not yet,” he said in a very hypnotic voice.

            “Zeke, this is crazy. I’ve never –“

            He placed a finger over her lips and then gently picked up her arm that had the honey on it. She couldn’t speak or halfway breath again as his thick tongue licked the honey off in long thick strokes. Once her arm was cleaned, he turned those passion filled green eyes on her again and smiled the most gorgeous smile.

            “Not yet,” he said again.

            “Why?” she asked breathlessly.

            That smiled widened as he reached over and picked up the jar of honey. “My turn.”

Part One

            Why had she come to this stupid reunion? What had she been trying to prove? That nerds are well off?

            Oh wow, Grae, that was smart!

            Taking off the three inch heels and rubbing the bottom of her feet, she called the airport to see if she could leave early. Damn! No flights out of Chicago tonight. A snowstorm had hit earlier today and no one was going anywhere.

            “Face it Grae, you’ll never be anything but a nerd,” Sheila Vance had sneered at dinner tonight.

            Sheila Vance had been the most popular girl at GreenLow’s Academy, a private school three hours outside of Chicago and now they were meeting for their first reunion ten years after graduation. The school was currently getting a large renovation over the winter holiday and most of the events were scheduled inside of the hotel, which was good except for tomorrow night when everyone would attend the ball and basket auction that was going to raise money for the school’s academic programs.

Grae had gone to high school sixty pounds overweight on a scholarship with a lawyer for a guardian, who swore she would be the smartest black woman on the face of the earth. Grae didn’t have time for being a teenager, much less participate in anything GreenLow offered because if she wasn’t in school there, she had college academics at the university nearby.

            So she missed being adventurous and daring. Even when her weight had diminished and she was now a very beautiful African American woman, Grae still couldn’t find time to address her personal life. She ran a very successful Internet and Marketing Solution company in Detroit, plus consulted on many business projects for lots of large companies.

            While Sheila Vance had married a millionaire, who went bankrupt in the Enron scandal, and was now trying to pretend they still had money while going deeper and deeper in debt.

            But very few of the classmates that had been present tonight cared about this, because Sheila still acted like the life of the party at the reunion, which she had orchestrated. Grae was disgusted by all of their shallowness and just wanted to get the hell out of Dodge as soon as possible, but with the airport closing because of a snow storm, Grae knew she wouldn’t be getting anywhere anytime soon.

            There was a knock on her hotel door, but Grae didn’t say anything.

            “I know you’re in there, Grae,” Lizzie Danner, Grae’s dorm roommate at GreenLow said through the door. Lizzie worked for Microsoft in their new product line division.

Grae and Lizzie had often kept in touch over the years, but not just because they had a lot in common because of their field of study, but just because they had really enjoyed being friends. Lizzie’s family was filthy rich though and white, but this didn’t matter because Grae felt Lizzie spoke like a black woman and was often mistaken for when if she was initially met over the phone.

            Lately, Lizzie was pestering Grae about her grade school crush on the untouchable Ezekiel Chambers aka Zeke.  And it was Lizzie who had convinced Grae to come to the reunion when Grae really had no intentions of coming.

            Lizzie knocked again harder. “If I break a nail knocking at this darn door, you’re in a lot of trouble, Missy. Don’t you think you’re hiding in your room, Grae.”

            Grae grabbed the reunion itinerary and slid it under the door at Lizzie’s feet. “According to the schedule there’s nothing left to do after dinner.”

            The paper was pushed right back. “Open the door Grae. I’m not talking through it.”

            Reluctantly Grae opened the door deliberately narrowing her exotic hazel almond grays at Lizzie to show her irritation. “Before you even suggest or ask, the answer is no, I’m not going.”

            “You bitch!” Lizzie said, pushing past her with her arms full of things. You have to come! There’s an after party in the penthouse like no other and I haven’t partied like that since high school.”

            “I haven’t partied at all, Lizzie.”

            “That’s because you were too fat, but now you look like Vanessa Williams’ little sister. You have got to show that body off, girl.” Lizzie pulled out a black low cut black dress. “When I get through they won’t recognize you.”

            “No!” Grae said. “Get out.”

            Lizzie looked at the yellow pages opened to the airports. “You weren’t thinking of leaving, were you, Grae?”

            Sitting on the bed, she said, “I don’t want to face Sheila Vance another day. It’s too exhausting trying to say I’m better than you without saying it.”

            “But you are, Grae. She’s been jealous of your brain forever and she now is jealous because you’re smart and beautiful. Don’t let her tear you down.”

            “She’ll be there, won’t she?” Grae didn’t want to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

            “Yes, most likely, but you’ll have this dress on and I’ll guarantee that no man will be able to stop looking at you. Come on Grae. This is where you can let you hair down.” Lizzie reached over and pulled the pins out of Grae’s French Roll. The mid-back length super thick hair cascaded down in a flurry of natural curls that Grae worked hard to straighten out by hand every day.

            “Plus,” Lizzie said leaning down to Grae’s ear. “I heard Zeke might make an appearance tonight. I heard he’s got his own plane and he’ll be arriving tonight for tomorrow’s festivities.”

            Grae blushed, her hazel eyes dancing to their pure gray hue. “Oh yeah, right.” She bit her lip nervously. “The schedule said he wouldn’t be arriving until tomorrow and that’s just for the banquet and most likely he’ll just hang around his old buddies who paid no attention to me other than to invite me to that horrible B.U.F.A.M. club.” She winced at the thought of the insult she had been dealt every year when she had received an invite every year she had been at the school.”

            The Black Unattractive Female and the Men Club had been clearly designed to be like an indecent fraternity that took advantage of girls, who felt they would never get the chance of being with a cute guy or pretend to offer unattractive or unpopular females a chance to lose their virginity to a popular or handsome guy at the school. During the time Grae had been at Greenlow’s, Leon Woodward was the president of B.U.F.A.M. Leon had been Ezekiel’s best friend during high school.

            “I heard evil ass Leon saying tonight at the buffet line B.U.F.A.M. the he was sending out invitations for women to meet them at their hotel rooms for old times. And can you believe some of those nasty ass women are going to it.”

“Well I won’t be going to that part of the reunion,” Grae said disgustedly.

“Leon was gawking at you from behind, so I know he doesn’t think you’re even apart of that stupid boy’s club anymore.” Lizzie brushed out Grae’s hair and started to style it whether Grae liked it or not leaving curly tendrils down the front to give Grae and exotic appearance. “I heard that back in the day, Zeke had a thing for black women and he used to make the chick do some weird ass shit, but none of them would ever tell what he did to them.”

Grae pretended like it didn’t matter. “Probably something weird and degrading no doubt.”

“Nah,” Lizzie said dreamily. “I’m not for white men, but he looks like a sweet and tender.”

“Now you’re going to tell me you can tell a man’s lovemaking style by the way he looks, Liz?”

Lizzie chuckled. “Nope, you can tell by the way he takes care of his feet. Any man with good feet knows how to take care of all the details on a woman.”

Grae laughed raucously. “You’re still loony Lizzie.”

Frowning, Lizzie asked, “What did B.U.F.A.M. stand for anyway? I forgot.”

            Embarrassed, Grae answered, “Black Unattractive Females and the Men.”

            Lizzie covered her mouth to hide the giggle.

            After so many years, it did sound so childish and hilarious. Soon they both were screaming with laughter over that idiot club of guys who thought they could treat women like nothing.  “I hated everyone of those boys!” Grae said.

            “Except Zeke,” Lizzie pointed out.

            “That was before I knew he was a part of that stupid club.” She wouldn’t admit to anyone that she had falling in love with Zeke on the first day of school when she had not been watching where she was going and she bumped into the most gorgeous white boy she had ever seen. He looked like he had just worked out wearing a wife beater and low hanging pants that showed the cut on his waist.

            He was about the reach down to help her up until Leon Woodward stepped in front of Zeke. Leon was tall, skinny, skin so dark he looked purple, with a chipped tooth, boy that lived to make people lives miserable.  “Damn, Zeke,” he cackled, jabbing Ezekiel in the ribs playfully. “I thought her fat ass was gonna just bounce back up.”

            Grae got up on her own and walked away not looking back. Later on she learned she’d lost her favorite earring with the pink heart and a real diamond hanging at the end. It had belonged to her mother and Grae cried all night after realizing she had lost it. When she had returned to school the next day, her eyes were still read and Sheila Vance had the opportunity to call her a pig-faced zombie in front of everyone. They all laughed at Grae and that had been her name for the next few months until Lizzie threatened to punch anyone in the mouth if she heard someone else called Grae that.

            “Once I knew he was part of that stupid club, I couldn’t stand to look at him. Who’d want a guy who only slept with ugly black girls?”

“I wouldn’t mind being ugly to get a chance to sleep with Ezekial Chambers. I heard he almost made Time’s most eligible bachelors last year.”

Grae snorted to show Lizzie was not helping her point.

“Oh come on Grae. Ezekial was a nice ass looking boy in high school and I bet he’s got mad skills. I heard the only reason he was apart of Leon’s stupid club was because his daddy wouldn’t approve of him dating a black girl and that was the only way Zeke could get black ass.”

“And that justifies encouraging that ridiculous club?”

“Okay, no, it doesn’t but didn’t you ever think about trying it out just for once?”

Lying, Grae said, “No, Lizzie. That was a degrading club for girls who wanted to sleep with cute guys and not feel shameful about losing their virginity. I would never lower myself to that behavior just to sleep with Zeke. I may have been fat and blotchy, but I was not an ugly black girl. I didn’t care for the club and I didn’t care about him. So it really doesn’t matter if he’ll be there or not.”

            “You’re still going,” Lizzie said, opening up her makeup case.

            Feeling her stomach lurch, her eyes well up with tears and her lips go dry, Grae was scared and nervous all at the same time. “I’ve never been to a party, Lizzie.”

            “Well tonight it the night that you’re going to forget that you were ever fat, ever ugly, ever poor and never cared about, Grae. Tonight you’re going to be carefree, beautiful and wanted.” She applied makeup to Grae’s face.

            When Lizzie was done, she packed up her make up case. “I’m going to change into my dress and I expect you to show your face in thirty minutes or I’ll have them drag you out of this room.”

            Grae resigned slumping her shoulders and her friend asked, “What floor will the party be on?”

            “The Penthouse.”

            Lizzie started out the door after handing Grae some open toe shoes to go with the dress.

            “Aren’t those a little skimpy for wintertime?” Grae questioned.

            “We’re in a hotel, crazy. You’re just going up the elevator. You can’t catch cold.”

            Grae took the shoes and sighed knowing she didn’t have any good stockings to go with this dress and would have to paint her toenails.

            Lizzie popped her head back in the door before it close. “Grae?”

            “Yes Lizzie?” Grae asked digging through her own case for some nail polish and being disappointed that all she found was a bright red polish that she really hadn’t planned to wear anyway. Yet, as she had packed two days ago, she had been having uncontrollable girlish fantasies of meeting Ezekiel, having some unbelievable romantic moment and then having him whisk her off in his private helicopter on the roof of the hotel to a hot island he owed. He’d make love to her on his beach and all over his private villa. ‘Fantasy, Grae! You don’t deal in fantasies,’ she scolded herself.

            Her friend broke her daydreaming by asking quietly, “Why didn’t you really ever pursue him?”

            “Him who?” Grae played dumb on purpose.

            “Ezekial Chambers,” Lizzie said exasperated. “Was it because he was white? And your guardian didn’t want you to date white men?”

            Grae pursed her lips together wondering how had Lizzie figured that out when Grae had never said anything, except when her guardian insisted on sending her to Howard University.

            “Naw,” Grae lied. “I knew there was no way my fat ass was going to get Ezekial Chambers.” She laughed it off and Lizzie laughed with her.

            When Lizzie was gone, Grae picked up the dress and gasped. The neckline was lower than she thought and although the hemline on the matching skirt came to the middle of her knees, there was a split up both sides of the skirt.

            She couldn’t believe that Lizzie wanted her to wear something like this, but since there was nothing in Grae’s closet, except business suits she had little choice. The dress fit her size twelve shape like a glove and when she walked she swore the slit opened up to show her black laced thong.”

            There was no where to put her key except the lace black bra, so she slipped it in there and left out noting the time was an hour into the after party.

In order to get to the penthouse, she was instructed by the bellman that she had to go around the hallway and take the second set of private elevators. There was an elevator attendant for the private penthouse elevators. “Are you here for the party or the guest suites?”

            “Party,” she said.

            He pointed to the first set of elevators. “That’s reserved for Penthouse one.”

            “Thank you.” She said and started for them, but then he called her, “Ma’am!” He looked nervous about it and flustered his words as he said, “Umm, I meant the second set of elevators are for you.”

            Grae frowned. “You mean for the party right?”

            “Y-Yeah! Those over there.” He pointed hard at the other elevators, which happened to open up, so she walked over to them and got in.

            “Thank you,” Grae said to the attendant, but just as the doors were closing she saw Leon walking up to the relieve attendant and passing him the some money. Misgivings started to build inside her when she saw people dressed for a party getting on the other elevator.

            The ride to the top of the hotel seemed too long and there was a funny queasy feeling of nervousness stirring in the pit of her stomach. When she stepped off the elevator, the lights were low in the hallway, nor could she hear any party music. Turning back to step back on the elevator, abruptly the doors closed and there were no buttons on the wall to get the elevator back up there. Cursing, she faced the door and pressed the doorbell.  She’d just have the person in there call the elevator back up.

            No one answered the door, so she knocked on the door hoping they weren’t asleep and hoping they didn’t curse her out for bothering them. These rich assholes could be mean fucks sometimes. She should know, she dealt with them all the time with her company.

            Just as she knocked for the third time the door opened automatically and she was looked at a candle lit room. The floor looked like a wet black pool, but in truth it was expensive marble.

            “Hello?” she called out.

            There was no sound at first, but then she heard some one walking around in another room where there was candlelight streaming, just off the main room.

            “Can you call back up the elevator?” Grae asked.

            Suddenly a large white man appeared at the doorway of the well-lit room. He only wore a towel around his thick waist. It looked as if he had just stepped out the shower.

The Reunion by Sylvia Hubbard

About the story: 

When Grae is given the opportunity to sleep with the man of her dreams since high school without him knowning her idenity, this shy reclusive young woman steps outside of her shell and transforms herself into the woman of his dreams. 

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