The Player (11 page)

19

“Kyle!” Romero Diaz hollered, smiling broadly.
Romero’s low cut, wavy hair had the word “millionaire” shaved along the back.
“Listen man, that’s you?” He pointed to Harlow slowly descending the stairs.

“Yep, she’s with me.”

Giving a hoot of laughter into his fist, Romero held out his other hand so that Kyle could give him a knuckle bump, only it didn’t happen. “I never knew you had jungle fever.”

“What?”

“Darren told me. He said that fine
piece of lips, tits and hips
is yours.”

“Watch your mouth,” Kyle snapped, intent on stopping Romero before he started.

“Aw, come on man. I’m just giving you a compliment.”

“I know what you’re doing, but if you think she looks good, then you should tell her, not me.”

“Oh yeah? You don’t have a problem with me doing that?”

“Not if you act your age and do it like a gentleman.”

Romero’s eyes widened. “Man, you’re stiff as a muthafucka. How in the hell did you hook up with a fine looking woman like that?”

Kyle grunted. “You honestly think I’d tell you?”

“Well damn, help a brotha out. I’m your teammate.”

“Just treat a woman like a lady.”

Romero gave Harlow another appreciative once over. “Kyle, for real, that’s you? I did not know you got down like that, man. So you like black women-”

“Yeah, I do. Don’t you?”

“Oh no no no. Don’t get me wrong.” He stopped talking and just zeroed in on Harlow as she left their sight, then was spotted again coming toward them. “You know she used to be with Oz, right? I remember when she was in his first video. I thought she was fine back then, but she even looks better now. I wondered what happened to her after that basketball player pressed charges.” Instead of realizing that Kyle’s demeanor had changed from tolerant to just above get the hell out of my face, Romero kept talking. “I think he was from Eastern Europe or something. Anyway, he played for the Pistons when they won the championship. She hooked up with him after her and Ozzy broke up, and dude had her arrested for robbery. He said she stole his championship ring. Yeah, it was quite a few years ago. I only remember because everybody wanted a piece of that guy. Big, gawky looking dude. Couldn’t dunk for shit. We couldn’t figure out why he got drafted in the first place. You’re nothing like him, even though you look like you only drink white milk.”

“Romero, would you do me a favor?”

“Sure man, anything.”

“This is a special night for me and Harlow. So could you keep the past in the past?”

“Of course. I didn’t mean anything by it. Hell, I’ve done worse shit than that when I was coming up. And I’ve been with some straight up skanks-”

“I don’t need to hear about your love life,” Kyle said quietly. “Just show my lady some respect.”

“Oh no doubt, I’m just relaying what I recall. It’s just a shock to see her with you. I’m like,
Shit, I did not know Kyle had it like that.”

Once her heels landed on the first floor again, Harlow was relieved when Kyle made it back to her side. “How long do we have to stay?” she wanted to know, so ready to leave.

“Anytime you want, just say the word.”

“I’m ready now, but I need to use your cell phone. I have to call Reina.”

A squeeze on her arm had Harlow looking into the face of a smiling young man. She recognized his face from the numerous posters on Reina’s bedroom wall.

“Hi, how are you?” he said. “I’m Romero. I uh, I’m a teammate of Kyle’s. I just wanted to tell you how fine you look.”

Harlow thanked him, fighting not to laugh because “Romero” appeared to be really nervous as Kyle sneered in his face.

They made their other goodbyes while heading for the front door. Harlow didn’t care if it was early morning in Princes Town. She needed to speak to her daughter. Offering his phone and also his arm, Kyle kept a slow pace while Harlow pressed in her daughter’s number with her thumb. Ringing several times as it connected, Harlow’s cheekbone and the phone became one. With all the noise surrounding her, it was hard to hear.

A sleepy sounding Reina’s voice got stronger the more she complained. “Mom, Daddy left me here.”

“I know baby.”

“Grandma Fefe says I don’t know enough about my culture. She says you must be trying to strip the Trini out of me.”

Of course it was too much to expect her mum to admit that Harlow never wanted to move to the states in the first place. “I’ll take the first plane out and fetch you.”

“But they’re supposed to teach me winin.’ Grandpa’s funny. And grandma Fefe can really cook doubles. And I’ve got so many cousins! Besides . . . I don’t go back to school for a few more days.”

“Reina, are you saying you want to stay?”

“Tantie Eustace says she’ll fly back with me.”

“Reina, honey, I don’t know-”

“I’m okay mom, really. I like it here.”

Her child was trying to console her. Will wonders never cease? Kyle put his arms around Harlow, figuring she needed a hug, and he was right. After saying her goodbyes to Reina, Harlow leaned into his body. He kissed along the nape of her neck, his lips going a slow and tantalizing route, making her shudder.

“Everything alright with Reina?” His voice was soft and full of concern.

“She wants to stay. So I guess she’s feeling right at home.”

“Come on, let’s get in the limo and make out in the back seat,” he murmured. “I just want to massage all that tenseness out of your body.”

“Ooh. That sounds tempting.”

He took her hand, leading her to their vehicle. Kapono stood there, silent and attentive, holding the back door open. Once he closed the door, Kyle hands glided up Harlow’s silky thighs, ripping away her thong. Party goers mingling outside could only hear a woman’s giggling protest as the limo sped off.

*****

The limo ride back to Kyle’s place was smooth and steady, with nothing but street lights whizzing by. With the darkness of the tinted windows and the limo’s black interior, it was a cozy, intimate atmosphere. “What does Kapono do while you’re at these parties?” Harlow asked, intrigued with the man’s steadfast loyalty.

“Anything he wants. He doesn’t have to stay. He knows two a.m. is usually my time limit.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, Harlow didn’t want to think. She just wanted to feel. “I love you, Kyle.” She heard his breath catch. He didn’t respond, so she continued. “I don’t know why you won’t really open up to me, but it’s okay. I know you will when you’re ready.”

“I l-love you too, but I can’t help wondering if I’m flashy enough for you, especially compared to Ozzy. Do you know how afraid I’ve been? Afraid of being hurt, of being told it was fun, but I’m just not ‘the one.’ Is that enough sharing for you?” he asked.

“It’s a start,” Harlow realized she’d opened a box that she had no idea how to close. Or if she even wanted to. Hoping to make him laugh, she added, “
Well, we are pretty vanilla with our lovemaking.”

Not sure where this was going, Kyle figured it was better just to agree. “Yep, we sure are.”

“But it works for me. And sure,
I’ll always care about Ozzy. But I’m not in love with him anymore.
I love you, Kyle.
And only you.”

Helpless to respond to that one, he just stared down at her. “Harlow-”

“If we stay together you know that my past, especially my time with Ozzy will always be brought up. And with the Times article, you may lose a few friends-”

“Fuck my friends. I’ll get new friends.” After he said it, he realized they were in this together.
“We’ll get new friends.
I just wanna be a great father to Maddy, and a great step-dad to Reina. Hell, I even kinda like Perry’s songs.”

“Don’t you ever call him that in public,”
she warned. “He had his name legally changed to Ozzy.”

“Good for him.” Kyle took her by the waist, pulling her into his chest. “Then he shouldn’t have any objection when I have your last name changed legally to mine.”

“So you’re gonna ignore everything I just said to you?”

“No, I’m not. First we’ll start by being the boring couple we both realize we are. I can’t party into the wee hours of the morning anymore. I need eight hours of sleep, and I’m tired of pretending to be an ageless bachelor who loves threesomes.”

“The tabloid I read claimed you can’t commit because you hadn’t found the right guy.”

“Huh?”

“That’s according to your lover.”

His brows dipped low. “Technically you’re my lover.”

“Sorry, I think I was drunk when I outted you.”

“That’s enough sharing. Come here woman. You look so . . . just so damn good. Good enough to eat.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Harlow laughed, pushing off Kyle’s roving hands as they exited the limo. “If you’re set on taking off my clothes, then I want to strip yuh down.”

“Wait, just wait.” His finger landed on her mouth, cutting off her protest. “I’ve gotta do this now, because everything’s perfect.”

It was happening. It was really happening. Kyle McClure was getting down on one knee and he was about to propose on a beautiful, balmy night. The sad thing was, this touching moment had been drunkenly revealed by Ozzy by way of Willa, so the hot tears falling down Harlow’s cheeks were real. Feigning surprise, she alternated from staring at Kyle to the diamond he slid on her trembling finger.

And what a diamond it was! The thing screamed
I’m so big, I know I look fake, but guess what? I ain’t.
Down on one knee, Kyle kept repeating how much he loved her, and how he wanted to share her world. “I guess some people might say this is fast, but hell, when it’s right, when you meet that person, that soulmate, then time doesn’t matter. Nothing matters except me and you being together. If-if you’ll have me,” he said.

“Oh, I love you so much! I think I knew it that first night in your car. And I’m so happy!!”

The attention Kyle lavished on her was just what she needed. Relieved that Reina was doing okay, thoughts of Ozzy’s pity party and the gripes about the Times article on the Renegades were pushed to the back of her mind. All she wanted to do was bask in the glow of the man who loved and wanted her. They were the first to arrive home, so they had the place all to themselves. Running and sliding throughout the house as Kyle chased and finally caught her, he carried her upstairs, tossing her onto his bed before diving on it himself. They tussled in a pretend wrestling match, until Harlow gave in, opening her legs to him. By the time they finished making love, they’d ended up on the floor. Unlike her carpeted bedroom Kyle’s
marble floor was no
place to cuddle, so she excused herself, going into the bathroom to try to clean up. Of course he knocked on the door, asking if she minded him coming in.

“No, it’s just that when I need to clean up, I like to do it in private.”

“Okay, just pretend I’m not here. Or you can wash me, and I’ll wash you.”

Somehow she knew he’d say that, so she held out a new washcloth. “Are we doing this near the sink, or-”

He’d already walked into the shower, beckoning her to join him. This is what he’d wanted the whole time they were together. He stood facing her, grinning as his shoulders blocked most of the spray from hitting her face, rubbing her breasts in a circular motion with the washcloth. At the same time he feigned cleaning her she loaded up on soap, palming his now soft penis, being careful to clean him off gently but thoroughly. At one point he just stopped and stood there shuddering, his mouth clamp shut, hands at his sides as she stroked him back into hardness.

Kyle on his knees, prying open Harlow’s legs as his tongue invaded her core, forcing her

back up against the cool tiles. Sore or not, she began humping against his tongue thrusts, guiding his head so that his mouth went where it could do the most good. Water bounced off his back, redirecting the stinging droplets onto her hair and face. When she was almost there, he replaced

his tongue with two fingers, but not for long. He worked himself into her, joining them together so that they moved in unison, so that they moved in a rocking, erotic rhythm as old as time.

“I need to taste you,” she gasped.

His heart sang at her words. Placing one foot behind the other as in in a daze, he backed up to give her room. Now it was his turn as Harlow lowered to her knees, taking him in almost entirely on one suck. He groaned aloud from her warm mouth pumping and pulling, consuming him, and how her hands caressed the base of his shaft and his balls. “Ah shit . . . I’m coming, I can’t hold it.” He jerked away from her, letting go with a milky jet stream that mingled with the water at their feet. Next he was bending her backwards in a kiss, taking possession of her mouth just as forcefully as he’d taken hold of her body. For the next few minutes that’s all they did, tongues dueling, heads rolling, each ones fingers grasping at the other’s flesh, going from soft wet skin to areas where it was pruning. When he needed to catch a breath, he focused on her neck and her breasts, giving special attention to the parts of her body that Harlow was self-conscious about. 

She didn’t need foreplay. She just needed him inside her, like right this instant. As they continued to bite and suck on each other, Kyle slowly hardened. Turning her face first against the wet tile, he took her from behind, working into her nice and slow, making her beg for more, on the verge of another long night of making love.

*****

It wasn’t her house, so falling asleep hadn’t come easy. Harlow tip toed downstairs in her bare feet, so ready to raid the refrigerator. It didn’t matter how stealthy she moved since her tummy continued to growl like a lion needing raw meat. Going from the coolness of the wood floors to the chilliness of marbled tile, Harlow made her way down corridors lit only by sconce night lights. The place was open but it was still a maze to her, because she had to remember where the kitchen was. She got lost, had to backtrack and finally found it. The room was nothing but a long row of gleaming steel and old world carpentry, with a butchers block and a built in bakers oven made of real stone, in addition to a kitchen island that rivaled a real island. Opening the walk in refrigerator door, Harlow squinted after getting hit with lights bright enough to perform with. There were enough fixings for a really thick sandwich, so she loaded her arms with a head of lettuce, and platter of cold cuts. Her next raid in the frig brought out other goodies like Ranch dressing and sliced tomatoes.

“We keep the bread in the bread cabinet,” a female voice called out.

Harlow whirled at Willa’s advice.  Chewing on a piece of ham hanging out of her mouth, she managed to get out a “Hi” and an “Um” before swallowing in a big gulp. “I just . . . I had the munchies.”

One of Willa’s finely arched brows rose. “Mind if I join you?”

“Uh, no.”

“Kyle’s asleep?”

Harlow nodded, stepping back in case Willa wanted to scrounge in the refrigerator for her own left overs. Willa smiled at her gesture, peeking in and coming out of refrigerator with boiled eggs and carrots. “I’m a vegetarian, but not really,” Willa joked. “So don’t tell Kyle.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.”

They both laughed.

“So, did you have a good time at the party?” Willa asked, as her fingers grazed just above the food spread out on the island, unable to decide on what to use for her way, way past midnight snack.

“Oh sure.” Harlow looked for the bread cabinet, finding it easy enough since it was the one with the engraved in wood title of “Bread cabinet” on it. “Everyone was so friendly.”

“And your ex made quite an impression.”

“That’s Ozzy. That’s what he’s good at.” Two very thick slices of wheat bread formed the foundation of her sandwich. Yum.

Their interaction was awkward. Willa seemed to be waiting on Harlow to blast her, and all Harlow wanted to do was keep things friendly. There was more than enough time to give Willa a verbal beat down, especially when Kyle wasn’t in the house. Just not now.

“I tried to do you a favor by inviting him,” Willa said. “So in case you were wondering, I’m the one who contacted your ex-husband.”

“Excuse me?”

Willa lowered her eyes. The ring on Harlow’s finger wasn’t hard to miss. “So he did go through with it.” Her tone sounded like she couldn’t believe he’d actually done it.

“Did yuh think he wouldn’t? Yuh little last minute trick play to have Ozzy at the party didn’t stop him.” That head of lettuce was loudly snapped apart, the sound not unlike a slap.

“I-I wasn’t trying to stop Kyle. But based on what he’s told me, you still care very deeply for your ex. I was just . . . I wanted to help you be sure, just in case.”

“
Is that what yuh have to say for yuh self, that you were tryin’ to ‘help’ me decide? I tell yuh this for true. I’ve been holding my temper dealing with you, but no more.”

“You deserve to know just what you’re getting by marrying Kyle. I-” Willa stopped talking, her eyes going wide as she checked to make sure no one else was in the kitchen. You’ve been arrested before, so I thought . . . Listen, Kyle doesn’t like surprises. If you haven’t told him about that, you should. And whatever you might think, I was actually looking out for you.”

Roughly tossing a slice of ham on the bread, Harlow forgot about her sandwich in order to glower at Willa. The woman had the nerve to give Harlow a half smile in return, claiming she was no longer hungry. Walking the length of the kitchen, Willa was just about out of the room when Harlow caught up and yanked her by the arm, refusing to end their discussion. “Yuh been tryin’ to get me to lose my cool since I got here, so now you’ve got it. Yuh corner me, I’m gonna bite back.
I don’t need shit from Kyle, do yuh hear me?
Yeah, I was arrested. But I don’t have a police record because that was my one and only offense. Kyle already knows about it. I told him the whole story.”

Willa’s surprise registered on her face. “You told him everything?”

“Yes I did. And since I’m not fuckin’ you or living with you, I’d appreciate it if yuh stay the hell out of our business.”

Willa shrank right before Harlow’s eyes, her bluster now replaced with confused rambling. “Harlow, I-I just, I don’t think you really know my brother.”

“Yuh brother is a grown ass man. I’ll tell yuh what, get your own man, or woman. Hell, just get your own life and then yuh won’t have to worry about who’s doing what with Kyle. You want the truth on how we met? Kyle and another player stepped in when one of his teammates caused a really ugly scene at my bar. Virgil was drunk and he was throwing around the N word, it was-” Harlow paused, not wanting to relive what happened, but wanting Willa to know that she’d almost demanded Kyle get out of her place. That when she looked at him, she saw Virgil. At that moment, before she’d had a chance to think clearly, Kyle was just another white guy. Someone who could quickly turn into a racist, just like Virgil. “I almost told him to leave and never come back. He was no better than Virgil to me, especially when he snatched the bat I was using to defend myself with.”