Kavon arrived promptly at 5:00 PM. When I opened the door Kavon was standing there with a single red rose in his hand. “Here, Haley, this is for you,” Kavon leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek as he stepped though the door. I could tell that Kavon was impressed with my outfit because he walked around me licking his juicy luscious lips. I invited him into the kitchen while I searched for a vase for the rose. I noticed that he was wearing sweats and another cut off top that exposed his well-defined six pack and biceps. He was truly a hot piece, and I was going to make sure I got a slice. Kavon was thirty-three years old, with a smooth bronze complexion with dark brown eyes and a bald head. He stood approximately five feet ten and about 180 pounds of muscle with a tattoo on his right shoulder and a hairy chest! He had this clean cut look about him but also displayed this “bad boy” image. Damn, all the things to make a girl like me happy. I pinched myself and chuckled. Did I just strike it rich or what? I asked myself. I found a vase in the bottom of my china cabinet and walked back into the kitchen to join Kavon. I checked on Hobbs to make sure that he was okay, refilled his water and food bowl, and walked out the door.

Kavon took me to a restaurant near Jones Beach where we ordered lobster and shrimp pasta for two along with a bottle of wine. Even though he told me that he wasn’t seeing anyone, his phone was ringing nonstop! After the sixth call, he shut off his phone or put it on vibrate. From what I could tell by his one-sided conversations, two of the calls may have been from his male friends, the other calls seem to be from females. If had to bet, they were all wondering what he was doing, who was he doing it with, and when he was going to do them. All wanting to stake a claim on his ass, and what a nice ass he had indeed! After dinner, we decided to go back to the car, get a blanket, and to sit on the beach.

Kavon told me a lot about himself that night, it was as if he wanted me to know all the dirt up front! He started off by saying that he was thirty-three years old, single, never married and had two kids. A daughter, thirteen years old, named Latrice and an eleven-year-old son named Chase. Kavon stated that he and his family migrated to the United States from Trinidad when he was fifteen years old and that he and his family moved to Brooklyn with his aunt and uncle. Being new in the neighborhood and one of the finest ones, he had girls all over the place. He met a girl named Grace and fell head over heels in love and boom, Latrice was born. Kavon stated that Grace didn’t want the baby so when his parents were able to move out of his aunt and uncle’s house and moved to Long Island, she gave him full custody of his daughter. Kavon and Chase’s mother, Karen, had a little more history. They met when he was a senior in high school and moved in with each other after graduation. Kavon said he didn’t want to go into any details about Karen on our first date. But did say that he was tired of the bullshit and left. I’m not quite sure if he got mad at himself for telling me all of his business or that he was mad about his past, but he quickly changed the subject then continued.

Kavon mentioned that he worked in Manhattan as an assistant manager for Chase Bank. My first impression of Kavon wasn’t too far off from the real deal. Kavon was a cross between a perfect gentleman, a loving father, a b-boy, and a player all rolled into one. Saying that meant that Kavon had piqued my interest. He made me curious, and made me contemplate on finding out what made him tick. Around ten-thirty, we decided to pack up and to go back to my house. After we got back to my house, I fixed drinks and a light snack. We sat on the couch and watched a movie. It was a nice feeling to sit on the couch and watch a movie in someone’s arms again. For a brief moment, I thought of Jordan and realized that he had someone to watch movies with and forced him from my thoughts. Kavon seemingly had the right chemistry that I was looking for, and I desperately needed to get on with my life. But I wasn’t sure if I was going to take the chance with Mr. Kavon Emory.

Especially after finding out that he had two kids by two different women, I wasn’t sure if I would be up for the “baby mama drama,” and I sure as hell didn’t need it. One kiss turned into two, two turned into ten. The next thing I knew, I was wet! The heat from Kavon’s body was intense, and we both started to sweat. My body began to tell me “Girl, Get some of that Dick and stop frontin’.” On the other hand, my head was saying, “Keep your damn legs closed and your panties on! Besides it’s our first date! I had an angel on my left shoulder and the devil was on my right. I hadn’t had sex in who knows when! I was in need of a stiff dick, and I couldn’t and wouldn’t deny myself from the pleasures of sex any longer.

I broke away from his kiss and sat up on the couch. I looked in Kavon’s eyes and stood up. I was nervous. I took a deep breath and held out my hand. Kavon stood up, and I started to unbutton his shirt. Then I turned around and led him upstairs. Once inside my bedroom, I finished undressing Kavon and he began to undress me. I hadn’t noticed it before but, we had sand all over us, so we opted to take a shower first. After a quick shower we were ready to resume what we had come upstairs to do. I didn’t even let him dry off! I stepped out of the shower and led him back to my room, pronto! The foreplay was magnificent! He was gentle and caressed my body with care. He kissed and licked my body from head to toe! I returned each kiss and lick the same way. About an hour into the foreplay, he reached for his wallet and pulled out a condom, which I took from his hand and placed it around his rock-hard penis.

I was wet, tight, and needed to be fucked! Kavon pulled me to the edge of the bed and placed my legs around his neck and slowly entered me. His thrusts were forceful and full of rhythm. He pulled my legs from around his neck and pulled me to the edge of the bed and spread them as wide as he could. “Damn, your flexible; you do Yoga and shit?” Kavon asked. Kavon pounded me like a construction worker with a jackhammer chopping his way through cement! He flipped me over onto my stomach, hoisted me up onto my feet then bent me over and tried to enter me from the rear. “Oh hell no! No baby, I don’t do that,” I calmly said. “Okay, just stay like that,” he whispered and then smacked me on my ass. Damn that stung! I just knew that I was going to have his hand print on my ass, just like a tattoo! I had a sex maniac on my hands, and he wasn’t about to stop or let go. Somebody up there must have known that I needed to catch my breath because all of a sudden, the condom broke, and we had to stop. Kavon gently pulled out and reached for his wallet. I, on the other hand, was trying to catch my breath and get my footing. As Kavon attempted to slip on the second condom, it busted. “God damn!” he yelled and looked to me for help. I wanted to finish what I started, so I told him to open the top draw of my nightstand and grab one from the silver box.

I had enough time to regain my composure, and this time, I was ready to attack! So Kavon likes it rough and wild, I said to myself. I’ll give him rough and wild! I pushed Kavon down on the bed and straddled myself over him, and we went at it. Then we moved to the wall where I was able to stretch my leg over his arm while standing. I gyrated my hips and pumped my ass up and down with force. Then when he was about to erupt, I squeezed my muscles like a vice and made him scream obscenities then watched him drop to the floor from exhaustion. His breathing was erratic as I watched him struggled to catch his breath. “Damn, girl. Are you trying to kill me?” he asked. He pulled himself up off the floor, crawled into the bed, and beckoned for me to lie in his arms. About thirty minutes later, I got up and went downstairs to get us something to drink, and Kavon went into the bathroom. When I returned, I could hear the shower running, so I knocked on the bathroom door and entered. As I held out the glass for Kavon to take a sip, he pulled me into the shower. He washed me from head to toe, and I washed him. We dried off, went back into my room to watch TV, and fell asleep in each others arms.

“Hmmm, what’s that smell?” I rolled over and noticed that Kavon was MIA, and then I realized that he was in the kitchen, making breakfast. My, my, my, he got real comfortable, real fast, I thought. I got up and went into the bathroom. When I came out, Kavon was walking up the stairs with a tray of food. “I just let your dog out and gave him some fresh water, so please go back to bed so I can feed you your breakfast,” Kavon said. How thoughtful. Breakfast! The man was phenomenal in the kitchen! He had made French toast garnished with confectionary sugar, sausages, bacon, eggs, orange juice, and coffee. Damn, a great fuck and a culinary master. I hit the jackpot and laughed to myself. Where had this man been hiding all my life? Shit, I know damn well, there’s some female, if not three or four, ready to kill for this man. Kavon was sure nuff, a walking, talking, licking, eating, and fucking gold mine! I knew if I continued seeing Kavon I would be in for drama and maybe forced to throw down.

When we finished breakfast, Kavon decided not to wear out his welcome, so he jumped in the shower and got himself ready to leave. We walked down the stairs holding hands and stopped just short of the front door. “How’s your schedule this week? Would I be able to see you?” Kavon asked. “I do have a hectic week ahead, but I should be free after six.” We kissed a long passionate kiss and watched him as he pulled off as I leaned against the door frame. I had to laugh to myself; that I met this man the day before and had the time of my life. Only thing was, I had a funny feeling that the drama was about to begin. As fast as I could blink my eyes, the weekend was over, and I was back to my routine. I got through four days of meetings, deadlines conferences, and briefings. Ugh! Where does the madness end! The bright side of my week was the daily phone calls from Kavon.

It was Friday morning around 9:00 AM when a girlfriend of mine called. Toni and I go way back, about fifteen years in fact. Toni has always been and inspiration, a motivator, a go-getter, and a good friend to have when I need someone to talk to. Toni was a five feet and seven inches bombshell with a fiery personality to match her beauty. She started her own construction company a few years back and was doing very well for herself.

The first thing Toni said to me when she called was, “Haley, I need you to do me a big favor. If you’re not busy, please get on the computer or call the airlines for me. I need to find a flight leaving late this afternoon to the Caribbean. I don’t care where it is, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic; just find the sand for me, girl. I need to get the hell out of here, and I don’t have time to do it.” Oh shit, she must have had a fight with her boyfriend Thomas again, I thought to myself. “Yeah girl, I have some free time to surf the web. I call you back when I get some numbers,” I said and hung up. I called Toni back about two hour later and left the information on her voice mail. Around twelve, I decided to go to lunch with my coworker Lynn and left the office to grab a bite to eat and to do a little window shopping.

Lynn and I had just sat down to have lunch when Toni called back. She confirmed my suspicions, about her having a fight with her boyfriend. Toni stated that she was fed up with his shit and wanted to get away. So she booked us a three-thirty flight to Nassau, Bahamas. I looked at the phone and then asked her to repeat what she had just said. “Girl, you’re going to the Bahamas for the weekend, so get your shit and let’s go. I already paid for your tickets, just meet me at the airport at three o’clock. Don’t be late; we’re boarding at three-forty-five sharp.” Then she hung up. Oh shit! I looked at my coworker, then my watch. Damn, it was 1:30 PM! I had to drive from my office in upper Manhattan to Long Island and then back to LaGuardia airport by three o’clock, shit! I grabbed my bag, then grabbed my coworker’s hand, and ran back to the office. We ran into the building, waving our security IDs at the guards, and made a mad dash for the stairs. We jumped into my car and made our way to the bridge. The faster I tried to drive, the slower the traffic went. Oh my god, was I going to make it? It took me almost an hour to get home. I pulled into the drive way on two wheels, jumped out the car, and ran to the front door in a panic. Once in the house, I ran to my safe, seventeen—right, thirty-nine left, nine—right! Shit! What’s the damn combination! It took me almost three minutes to get the damn thing open. I grabbed my passport and ran back to the car. I had thirty minutes to get to the airport and fifty-five minutes till take off. Lynn held on for dear life as I zipped in and out of traffic. I drove my car like my life depended on it, and it did. When we arrived at the airport twenty-two minutes later; Lynn was clearly shaken and sweating. I took my house keys off the ring, leaving the key to the ignition, and jumped out of the car. “It’s yours for the weekend if you want to drive it,” I said to Lynn.

That’s when it hit me! I don’t have any fucking luggage! No toothbrush, no underwear, no nothing! At that same moment I looked up and saw Toni walking toward me with a big smile on her face. I introduced her to Lynn and then turned to her with tears in my eyes. I didn’t have time to pack, I don’t have any clothes! Toni looked at me and gave me a big hug and said, “Don’t worry; I got you covered for the whole weekend.” She grabbed my arm, and we ran through the terminal like wild children. We had less than ten minutes to get our electronic tickets, get past the airport security metal detectors, and board our plane. We were going to make it! We were sweaty from all the running when we reached the gate. As we stepped on to the plane I remembered my fur-child Hobbs. So I used the phone when we were airborne to call Sean, to see if he would take care of Hobbs for the weekend. Sean laughed when I told him about the last-minute trip. He agreed to stay at the house and take care of Hobbs. He also agreed to call Dawn and Nia and let them know that I was in the Bahamas.

Toni and I talked and giggled as we sipped on our drinks. Then Toni surprised me and said, “Well, Haley, I know that I put you on the spot by calling you at the last minute, and I know you didn’t have time to pack. So I stopped by the bank, and made a little withdrawal. The only problem we might have is finding a hotel! Neither one of us made reservations, so we have to find one when we get there! I’ve never been here before, and I don’t know where we’re going to stay, but I don’t think that will be a problem. With that, Toni opened up her purse and showed me that her pocketbook was full of $100 bills, fifty of them in fact. I almost choked on my drink, and spilt the rest in my lap! “What the hell!” I said, all excited. “Shhhhh . . . Look girl, don’t say a thing, just enjoy the trip. Besides, I said I got you!” Toni said as she looked at me with a devilish grin and closed her eyes. Once the plane landed, we had to find a hotel. We made our way through the Bahamian customs line, then found an airport employee and asked about the islands hotels. We were advised that the taxi drivers would be the one to ask. So as we stepped out of the terminal, a white stretch limo pulled up and stopped right in front of us. “Where you beautiful ladies going tonight?” the driver asked. We told the driver about our dilemma, and he came up with the perfect solution. It took us no time to drive to the one of the island’s finest hotels. Toni insisted on nothing but the finest and requested the penthouse suite for our stay. Lady luck was on our side. The hotel clerk was able to accommodate us with our room request as well as give us a discount rate for our room.

There was no need for a bellman, we didn’t have any luggage! So we grabbed the keys from the receptionist and walked to our room like royalty. “This is the life for me!” Toni shouted as we looked around our room. “I would love to do this with my boyfriend, but sometimes we can’t even talk to each other like civil human beings,” she said to me sadly. We checked our makeup then headed for the nearest restaurant; we were starved. I ordered fried shrimp, and Toni ordered red snapper. After dinner, we went back to our hotel to have drinks around the pool area. Neither one of us could enjoy a midnight swim or soak in the poolside Jacuzzi; we didn’t have anything to wear. And no, we weren’t going skinny-dipping, at least not that night! So we settled for sticking our feet in and ordered a few rounds. Before retiring to bed, I washed out my thongs so I could have something clean to put on in the morning and drifted off to sleep while laying across my bed.

The morning sunrise was spectacular as I gazed at its magnificent beauty from my bedroom balcony. We got up around six-thirty and ordered breakfast on the terrace. After breakfast, we showered and dressed in yesterday’s clothes then headed into town to buy our wardrobe. We purchased clothes and other essentials for our weekend stay, underwear, toothbrushes shorts, tops, you name it, and we bought it. I can’t believe that I jumped on a plane with only my pocketbook and an American Express card. Shit, I should do a commercial for them! We shopped the better part of the morning and returned with enough clothes for a week. While I was hanging up my newly acquired wardrobe, I decide to check my voice mail and ended up calling Dawn, Nia, and Sean. They all said that Hobbs was fine, have a good time, and not to worry about anything. I thought about calling Kavon but quickly decided against it. In the meantime, Toni was engrossed with the hotel’s activity brochures and decided that she was going to plan some of our activities. We had four days of fun ahead of us, and we were ready to let our hair down.

The first thing we did after we got our clothes together was to hit the beach wearing our new sexy beachwear. The water was warm and calm, just what the doctor ordered! After a couple of hours of sunning ourselves to a golden brown color, it was time for lunch. We walked back to the pool area and rinsed off under the outdoor shower. Then we located two vacant chairs under a beautifully decorated cabana adjacent to the pool and ordered lunch. Toni and I couldn’t decide on what water sports we were going to do first; snorkeling, scuba diving, or jet skiing. Whatever it ended up to be, I was game for all the above.

I decided to take a dip in the pool and then relax by the hot tub. Meanwhile, Toni decided that she would take a walk around the hotel to see what amenities they offered. She made several inquiries about the water sports on the island and was introduced to a man who had a boat for hire. Nelson was the boat’s captain, a handsome Bahamian man, somewhere in his early forties. I don’t know how she found him so fast, but she did. Toni gave him a list of the water sports that she was interested in doing, and he assured her that he would be able to have all the necessary equipment. Within the hour, Toni was back to the pool area informing me of our afternoon adventure. At two forty-five, we met Nelson on the beach, and ten minutes later, we were off to sea. The first thing she wanted to experience was snorkeling. Nelson calmly instructed Toni on the concept of snorkeling and entered the water with her as I watched from the starboard side. Toni never told me that she couldn’t swim a lick! But I have to give it to her, that didn’t stop her from jumping in. She got in the water and gave the fish hell by thrashing around like she was in a water fight. She wrapped her legs and arms around Nelson as if she were a squid or octopus and held on for dear life. It took Nelson a good five minutes to get Toni to stop slashing around and to relax. She slowly let go of the death grip she had on Nelson’s arm and tried to mentally relax. I could tell that she was scared to put her face in the water, but she did her thing. After an hour of nervously bobbing up and down, she relaxed and went with the flow.

When I felt Toni was confident and comfortable enough to hang out in the water with Nelson, I strapped a tank on my back and jumped in. Even though it’s a no-no to dive alone, I couldn’t resist the beautiful water. I couldn’t get down with the snorkel thing after diving for almost ten years. I made sure not to stray too far from the boat or Toni especially since she couldn’t swim. Damn, she’s got a set of big brass balls, I thought to myself. After two hours in the water, Toni decided that she had had enough and wanted to try the Jet Ski that Nelson had tied to the boat. Nelson brought the boat a little inland then dropped anchor. Nelson jumped in the water first, and Toni followed. They made their way over to the Jet Ski, Toni clutched the sides as Nelson skillfully climbed on top then held out his hand for Toni. I watched as she climbed on the back and again apply the death grip on poor Nelson. After they got settled on the Jet Ski, they waved at me then took off. I walked to the stern of the boat, got comfortable on a lounge chair then grabbed a sandwich and a cold beer and watched the two of them jump the waves.

I was chugging down a mouthful of beer when I heard Toni scream. I guess they must have been going pretty fast because all of a sudden her wig flew off her head like a bird in flight! Beer came out of my nose, my mouth, and I think my eyes. I laughed so hard. In fact, I almost wet my shorts! Toni motioned for Nelson to stop and to circle over the area where her wig flew off. After several attempts and unable to locate anything but seaweed; it was clear to see that her wig was lost at sea. Nevertheless, Toni didn’t seem too upset, she held her head up high and motioned for Nelson to continue. They took off again, jumping wave after wave. Our day had been filled with everything it should have been, fun and sun. By the time we got back to the shore, Toni and I were not only exhausted, but also tanned to a dark golden brown. Personally, I prefer the dark golden brown skin tone especially when it’s accented with the exotic colors of the Caribbean. When we docked, we re-charted Nelson’s boat for the following day, paid him, and rushed back to our room to get ready for dinner.

Toni wore a white short set and wrapped her head in a colorful scarf. I dressed in a colorful Bahamian sarong two-piece set that showed off my midriff. We hailed a cab and headed for the Hotel Atlantis. The Atlantis hotel was of enormous size and beauty that was built not far from our hotel. “What a beautiful place,” we said in unison as the taxi pulled up to the front of the hotel. We ate at an awesome and scenic restaurant in the hotel; the entire wall of the restaurant was the aquarium, with all kinds of fish and marine animals of every size. After dinner, we walked around the hotel for more than an hour then decided to head back to our hotel. Toni was still full of energy and wanted to talk and have a nightcap by the pool before turning in. We ordered three rounds as we sat on the side of the hot tub and laughed about the day’s events. After our fifth drink, it was time for us to call it a night. We staggered into the hotel and made our way to the elevators laughing about her fly away hair. I showered and fell asleep before my head touched the pillow. While Toni stayed up and called her boyfriend.

The smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves woke me from a restful sleep. I got up and walked slowly into my private bathroom and showered. When I opened the door, I was greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee and pastries. I guess Toni heard me when I got up and ordered room service. It was the start of our second day in paradise and off to a perfect start. I decided to call Sean while I munched at the pastries, but I got no answer on his cell phone. So I opted on calling his office. His coworker answered his line and informed me that he had taken the day off. Never giving it another thought, I called Nia, no answer on her line either. Then I tried Dawn’s number. Well when Dawn answered the phone all I could hear was her yelling at the top of her lungs. “Fuck you, go to hell! Fuck you, motherfucker! Get your shit, and get the fuck out of my house and never come back!” I looked at the phone then at Toni. I don’t think Dawn realized that she had picked up the phone. So I hung up and called her on her house phone. “Who the fuck is this,” she yelled. I yelled back, “It’s me, Haley, what’s wrong?” She calmed down after she caught my voice and broke down crying on the phone. She calmed down enough to say, she wasn’t feeling well yesterday at work and decided to come home early. There were two unfamiliar cars in her driveway causing her to park hers on the street. As she walked around to the side door; she heard music playing from inside. She entered the kitchen and the smell of marijuana was so strong that it could have knocked her down. Then she noticed two empty bottles of wine on the table alongside a small mound of marijuana. She went from room to room looking to see who in the hell was in the house. When she opened the door to their theater room, she saw her husband Peter on his knees boning her so-called best friend William, while William was performing oral sex on a girl.

You could have knocked me over with a feather! I couldn’t believe my ears! I screamed and dropped the phone. Toni came running out of the bathroom to see if I was okay and to find out what happened. I was sitting on the side of my chair with my hands over my mouth. I was speechless and couldn’t say a word. I listened to her as Dawn went into detail about the sordid tale. After a good ten minutes, I couldn’t take it any longer; I had to hang up the phone. I told Toni about the conversation as we sat on the balcony and finished the pot of coffee.

All we could say for the next few hours was, that’s some shit! I hope she doesn’t kill his ass! I knew Dawn had suspected that her husband was out there fucking around, but damn! Not like that! And with William! Oh hell no! I think if she killed his ass, the jurors wouldn’t elect to convict her, they’d just accept her temporary insanity plea, I’m sure of that

Either way, I knew when I returned home I was going to be there for Dawn. Toni and I finished the pastries then dressed for day two of water play. Once again our day was spectacular! We did the same things as the day before and more. For some reason, Toni was hooked on the water sports, she snorkeled and I went scuba diving. She went jet skiing while I sunbathed and listened to music on the boat. We were living the life of the rich and famous and loving it!

Around 6:30 PM, we headed back to shore so we could relax and take a short nap before we made dinner plans. We thanked Nelson for another wonderful afternoon and tipped him a generous $150 for his personal attention. He helped us ashore, and gave both of us a strong hug and said good-bye. We gathered our things and made our way slowly to our room. We had been out there so long that I had gotten sunburned on my shoulders. Once in our room, I plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV to catch the last segment of the news while Toni went into her room and called home. “Shit! Thomas still isn’t answering the house phone or his cell phone,” Toni yelled through the door. She seemed calm and unconcerned when she exited her bedroom and plopped down on the couch beside me. I didn’t want to ask anything about her relationship with Thomas nor did I want to mention Dawn’s name for fear that she might think that situation could be happening in her household so I kept my mouth shut and finished watching the news. When it was over, I took a long hot bath in the whirlpool tub and called Sean as I wrapped my self up in a towel. Again no answer, so I called Nia. Nia answered on the third ring and told me to hold on while she let the cops out of the house. “What? Oh no! Now what? What the hell was going on in New York?” I didn’t know what to expect so I decided to light a cigarette, pour myself a double, and take a seat on the balcony. When Nia came back to the phone, she told me I was in for a long story and to make myself comfortable.

Nia said, “Sean had gone to the gym for his early morning workout; he ran a little late and in a hurry forgot his bag in the locker room. When he got to work at 7:00 AM; he called his girlfriend Monica and asked her if she had time to stop by his gym before she went to work and to pick up his gym bag. Monica agreed and picked up his bag from the gym around eight-thirty, placing it in the trunk of her car. Then she headed off to work. Two hours later, Sean called Monica at work and inquired about his gym bag. ‘Honey, it’s in the car,’ Monica replied. Sean insisted that she immediately go outside and to double check her truck for his bag. Again, Monica stated that the bag was safe in her car and questioned Sean about his concerns. Monica decided to appease his request and to check her truck for his bag, only to discover that the bag was missing from her trunk. The bag is gone, fuck! As she yelled at the top of her lungs! Monica forgot that her estranged ex-husband still had the keys to her car and was sneaky and pathetic enough to do something like this. Monica called Sean back and told him that the bag was missing from her truck. ‘I’m sorry, baby; I forgot that my bastard ex-husband, Neil still had keys to her car. That bastard!’ she yelled. ‘This time he’s gone too far!’ Monica yelled. Not only did Monica’s ex-husband have Sean’s driver’s license, he had his money, his credit cards and other important items such as bank account numbers that were also in his wallet. Monica was a wreck, and Sean was pissed off and ready to kick Monica’s ex-husband’s ass. Sean immediately left work and was on his way back to Long Island to file a police report when he received a call from a lady claiming to be the manager of a restaurant in Westbury. She stated that she was in possession of his gym bag. She said that two of her workers were sitting in their car on a break and observed a dark blue jeep driving suspiciously through the parking lot. The jeep pulled up to the dumpster that services her restaurant, and watched a male Hispanic exited the vehicle, looked around then throw a black duffle bag inside the dumpster. The man looked around again, got back in the jeep, and took off like a bat out of hell. The manager further stated that her employees exited out of the vehicle they were sitting in and retrieved the bag from the dumpster and brought it into the restaurant. The three of them looked inside the bag and discovered Sean’s wallet, containing his license, money, credit cards and other papers including his business cards. Thank goodness his business cards were in the bag and had his new cell phone number on it. I thought to myself. Sean exited off the Grand Central Parkway and headed towards her restaurant. My head was spinning, and I didn’t want to hear another word about this mess.” I told Nia that I had to hang up, because the long distance phone charge was expensive, and I would get a phone card and call her back later.

Holy shit! I had been gone for two day! Just two days and all hell was breaking loose in New York! I finished my drink, and then decided to reiterate the story to Toni when she came out of the bathroom. After reiterating the details of the story I needed another drink. By then it was close to 9:00 PM and we decided to go to the Poop Deck for dinner. The Poop Deck turned out to be one of my favorite restaurants in the Bahamas. The ambiance of the restaurant had a quaint and stylish atmosphere overlooking the water. I also give my compliments to the chef and to the rest of the staff and kudos to the waiters they’re cute as hell! Nice eye candy to look at while you eat! If you know what I mean! When we arrived at the restaurant we were seated at one of the last tables on the outside deck over looking the water. “How beautiful everything looks from here,” Toni exclaimed. “I need to get my mind off what’s going on in New York, and this will do just fine,” she said laughingly.

“There’s just too much drama back home for me,” I replied as I looked over the menu. “In fact, I’m almost afraid to go back home,” I said jokingly. As I looked up I noticed a handsome dark-skinned man standing next to Toni. He introduced himself as Julian and advised us that he was our waiter for the night. Julian was about thirty-one years old, maybe six feet and two inches tall and about 190 pounds of muscle with zero fat. We struck up a conversation with him as he waited on our table and ended up monopolizing most of his time. We talked so much with him, that we ended up being the last customers in the restaurant. Overhearing our conversation about looking for a dance club Julian offered to show us around the island since we were in search of adventure and good music. We were a little hesitant at first but quickly disregarded our doubts and accepted his invitation. We waited outside the restaurant for Julian to get off work and change his clothes, and then we were off. Julian took us to three popular clubs that the locals go to, one better than the last. We danced, talked and drank the night away. It had been a long time since Toni and I hung out together and had this much fun. By 6:00 AM we had to call it quits, my feet were throbbing, Toni couldn’t shake her hips another shake and Julian had to get some sleep so he could go to work that afternoon. When the three of us stumbled out of the last club we were blinded by the sunrise in the horizon. Julian drove us back to our hotel and walked us to our room; he kissed the two of us on the cheek then left. What a gentleman! Toni stated as she closed the door. It’s nice to know you can still go out with a guy, and he not ask or insist on pussy, because he spent a dollar on you. Toni said. I plopped down on my bed and began to rub my sore feet. Say, Haley, Toni said. I’m hungry, why don’t you call room service and order us some breakfast before we go to bed. I let go of my aching foot and reached for the phone and called the kitchen. Toni showered first while I waited on the balcony for our breakfast. Ten minutes later there was a knock at our door and our meal was being setup on the balcony. I was chewing with my eyes closed when Toni walked onto the balcony. After a cup of coffee and Danish, I was ready for a shower and a catnap.

We had one day left in the Bahamas and were already making plans to come back. Today was our beauty day, Toni had secretly arranged for us when we arrived at the hotel. We were scheduled for a facial, pedicure, manicure, and a massage to complete the weekend. We arrived for our appointment promptly at twelve-thirty and were ready for the overhaul. I started with the facial, and Toni started with a massage. We emerged four hours later, relaxed and limber as hell. It was all we could do to go back to the hotel and lounge by the pool the rest of the afternoon. This was our last night in the Bahamas Toni said sadly. It’s getting late so let’s get up and get ready to catch the booze cruise, she ordered. The boat left every night at 9:00 PM from a near by pier. Remembering that we had not eaten all day we grabbed a quick bite to eat at the hotel then got dressed. Toni put on a seductive low-cut black chiffon dress and cute little gold sandals and I slipped on a multicolored crepe halter and white skin tight slacks. The evening sky had a mysterious glow that cascaded from the full moon onto the water, which made the atmosphere enchanting. When we arrived at the pier, the partygoers were already boarding the party boat. We made our way up the gangplank, jumped aboard, grabbed two glasses of red wine, and looked for a table on the portside of the boat. Julian spotted us we made our way toward the center of the boat and motioned for us to join him on the upper deck.

Julian arrived at the pier early and reserved a table for us near the bow of the boat. He escorted us to our table and ordered a bottle of Bahama Mamma. As we toasted our glasses together the boat started to pull away from shore and music began to fill the air. I don’t think we got a chance to sit down for five minutes. The next thing I knew the boat was docked and they were escorting us off the boat. The night was still early so we opted to go to the casino and give lady luck a chance to make our night. We did all right, Toni won $2,500 and I cashed out with $950, and Julian was the biggest winner. He had the company of two beautiful women. Bahamian law does not allow, permit, or condone gambling for its native countrymen, and if caught doing so, they are imprisoned by the government. Imagine that! Toni and I cashed out our winnings while Julian waited for us in the lobby. We had already packed and had our luggage picked up by the bellman. We had three hours before we had to leave for the airport and decided to eat. Julian brought us to his house for breakfast, and we ate corned beef with a bowl of fish stew complimented by grits. Oh, we ate like pigs! We headed back to the hotel to check out and to pick up the rest of our things before heading to the airport.

When we arrived at the airport, he jumped out and walked us to the door. Julian turned to give Toni a kiss on the cheek and a big hug. Then he turned to me and asked me for my phone number. “Julian, you do know that I live in the United States, and the calls will be expensive,” I said. “I don’t care,” he said softly. So I wrote down my number on a piece of paper that he handed to me then placed it back in his hands. Then he gave me a tender, long and passionate kiss. “I’ll call you,” he said as I walked to the terminal with Toni. As I turned around to look at him one more time before I walked into the terminal, he blew me a kiss and waved good-bye then he drove off. One metal detector, two metal detectors, three metal detectors, four damn, airport security is crazy!

Our flight back to New York was fast, or maybe it felt like that because I didn’t want to leave the Bahamas; in no time, we were landing. Toni and I hugged and I thanked her a million times for a wonderful getaway. She jumped in a cab and rushed home. I on the other hand jumped in a cab and headed for my office. I had no idea where Lynn had parked my car in the underground parking lot of the state building. I entered the building, passed though the security checkpoint and then caught the express elevator to my floor. As soon as I entered my office I ran into my boss. “Good morning, Senator,” I said. He looked at me and smiled. “Haley, I heard that you went to the Bahamas for the weekend, and I want details,” he asked with a sly grin. I gave him a quick overview of my weekend then went into my office to locate my car keys and to make a few calls.

The first call was to Dawn; she answered on the second ring. “Hey girl, how are you? I came straight from the airport to work and called you right away. She stopped me in mid sentence and said. I don’t know if you heard, but I came home Friday early from work and found that motherfucker. Peter was in bed with William and a girl. Girl, I went crazy up in here! I think I blacked the fuck out! I went back in the kitchen, grabbed two bottles off the kitchen table and smacked that shit across the back of his head. Peter ended up with an orange-sized knot on the left side of his head. William should have a permanent dent in the back of his head from the other bottle and the bitch jumped up and got away before I could nail her with something,” Dawn said. We talked a few more minutes then I had to hang up. The senator and I were scheduled to attend a community board meeting in twenty minutes and I was his chauffer for the day. I grabbed my things and headed for the ladies room to take a quick shower. I had no time to spare and was dressed within 15 minutes. I walked out of the bathroom at the same time the senator was walking out of his office. He was putting on his jacket and giving last minute instructions to the receptionist. Phew, that was close, I thought to myself. He turned to me and his travel staff person and asked if we were ready to go. “Yes,” I replied and the three of us hurried out the door.

When we arrived at the meeting, I suggested that I stay in the car so I could make adjustments on my laptop and update his schedule for last minute changes. For the next two hours, I rearranged and updated his schedule and talked on the phone. My first was to Sean to get latest info update on his gym bag episode involving Monica’s ex-husband. Sean was at the barbershop and stated that he couldn’t talk, but would call me back. My next call was to Kavon. I wanted to touch base with him, maybe suggest dinner or even the movies, but he didn’t answer his cell phone, so I left a message.

The rest of the week was filled with meetings, appointments, luncheons, and speaking engagements that I either attended with the senator or arranged for him. Up to Albany, down to DC then back to New York. Damn, what a week! I was glad as hell when Friday rolled around. I finished work sometime around 10:30 PM and for some reason, wasn’t quite ready to go home. So I decided to change up my routine and go downtown to the club that night. The bouncers looked at me as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. “Hey, Haley, what are you doing here on a Friday night? It’s not Sunday night!” they asked. “I’m out slumming,” I replied. I paid my admission and made my way to the dance floor.

The music was all right, but nothing like Sunday nights. I was there maybe an hour before I decided to leave. On my way out the door, I saw one of my long time friends, Joey who is the head of security for the club. Joey walked with me outside and introduced me to the bouncers I didn’t know. “This is Jamie, Ali, Terrence, and Cory.” “What’s up, girl, you the one driving that fat Benz?” Jamie asked. “Yeah, that’s me,” I answered. I took a seat on the steps and talked with the guys until Joey was called on the walkie-talkie. As I stood up and announced to the guys that I was leaving. Cory jumped up and asked if he could walk me to my car. “No harm in that,” I replied and graciously accepted his offer. We walked up the block and around the corner to my car. I thought it was going to be a quick conversation, but it wasn’t, we talked at least an hour. Cory was a nice-looking brother; I’d say about thirty-five years old, six feet, and 235 pounds and built like a pro football player. The thing that attracted me most was he had a sexy smile. Before jumping in my car, he reached in his coat pocket and pulled out his business card that advertised that he was a personal trainer. Just then, I had a nasty perverted thought about Cory training me. Humph . . . I bet you he could train me too and laughed to myself. Cory turned to me and said he would like for us to be friends, and there was no pressure if I didn’t. I laughed and told him that I was the president of the He-Man Haters Club, and wasn’t looking for romance. Cory laughed and said that he wasn’t mad at me, and just wanted to get to know me a little better. I gave him a nod and told him that I would be back on Sunday for the real party, and then I drove off.

When I got to the corner, I opened my sunroof and looked up at the full moon. Damn, what was going on? In the short span of two months, I met Kavon, Julian, and now Cory. I didn’t know why, but men were coming at me hard. We’d have a connection, and then I’d lose interest after a conversation or two. My mind then drifted off to Kavon. Sometimes I’d have an uneasy feeling when I was around him. It’s hard to explain; it’s like my body is pushing me toward him one minute, and my brain is pulling me away the next. Besides, if he thinks that I’m gonna start sweating him when he doesn’t call or show up on time, like his other female friends, he’d better think again. At this point, I could drop him like a hot potato and never look back. Now as far as Cory, I’ll wait and get the low-down on him from Joey. By the time I finished analyzing my recent suitors, I was pulling into my driveway. I walked in the house, greeted Hobbs, and put him outside while I poured a glass of juice. It took Hobbs no time to do his thing outside and was back at the door waiting to come in. I grabbed two doggie cookies for Hobbs and my glass and headed straight for my bed.

Well, thank God, it was Sunday again, and I was ready to go back to the sanctuary and dance the night away. I found out that Cory wasn’t working that night so I didn’t have to worry about being sociable or distracted. The night was going to be about the dance and nothing but the dance. Joe was playing his ass off on the turntables and raising the spirits and mood of the crowd. As I entered the club, I heard screams and stomping coming from the dance floor. I made my way to the coat check and checked my duffle bag. I walked to the entrance of the dance floor, closed my eyes, and felt a sense of euphoria consume my body. As the music took control over my body, I stepped onto the floor and made my way over to my favorite spot on the dance floor. Gwen McCrae was singing “Funky Sensations” and had my hips swaying to the grove. When out of nowhere, this dark-skinned man danced his way into my space. I tried to focus my eyes on his face, but it was obscured by the baseball cap that he was wearing. He grabbed me by the waist and spun his body around and began to grind his body so seductively I stopped dead in my tracks. From what I could see, this man was fucking gorgeous and letting me have it! He grabbed me by my waist and pulled me close to his body as he twisted and shook his body close to mine! I pushed away and spun around. He again grabbed me by the waist, this time pressing his body against mine and began to spank my ass to the beat of the music. Before I knew it, we were doing what one would interpret as the vertical mumbo without clothes on! Take away the clothes, and you’d swear that we were fucking! I rubbed my hands over his muscular chest and down his thighs as he grabbed my hips and gyrated against me. We were out of control!

The music slowed down, and he held me close, caressing my body with the tenderness and gentleness it was craving for. He empowered my body with his and had me anxiously yearning for more. I placed my head against his chest in an attempt to regain control. He made me horny and intimidated the shit out of me at the same time. I couldn’t take it anymore and pulled away from him and walked off the dance floor. I was a wreck! I couldn’t believe that this man, this total stranger intimidated me on the dance floor like that! I made my way through the crowded floor and walked to the ladies’ room to wash my face. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that this guy made me nervous, and sent chills up and down my spine; then made me walk off the dance floor before the song was over! It took me a few minutes to get myself together and walked back on the dance floor. When I did, he was dancing in the same spot and sucking on a lollipop. He looked at me with a devilish smile and made a sexual gesture to me with the lollipop. He laughed at my facial expression and walked up to me, nose to nose! That did it! I turned around and walked off the floor again, this time in a cold sweat! What the hell is going on with me? I asked myself. This never happen to me before, what the hell was going on with me? This man had unnerved my cool calm demeanor, and he knew it! He did it with confidence and elegance, and I couldn’t let him get away with it. So I got up my nerves again and marched back on the dance floor to set the record straight. Only to find out he was gone! I looked around the dance floor, then around the VIP room, but he was no where to be found. My mystery man had vanished! No name, no phone number, and no nothing! I had only a face and a beautiful smile to remember.

All week long I dreamed about this man. I couldn’t get him out of my mind and thought about him day and night. I told my friends and coworkers about this mystery man and how he worked my nerves on the dance floor. As a joke, I decided to nickname him Chocolate Man because of his dark sexy complexion. From that point on, nothing or no one else would peak my interest but him. Even when Kavon called midweek, I was a little standoff-ish and ready to end our friendship before it started, so to speak. Sensing my nonchalant attitude, Kavon suggested that I go for a ride to the beach then stop off somewhere for dinner with him. I had nothing else planned for the evening so I accepted his offer.

I was upstairs in the bathroom when I heard a loud roar in front of my house and looked out the window to see what all the commotion was. It was Kavon on a red and black Suzuki motorcycle! Girls, girls, girls, I was back in heaven! Not only did this man have a bad ass Mercedes, he also had a motorcycle! I have always had a thing for bikes since I was little. My father purchased a motorcycle during my senior year in high school, and I pestered him to death to teach me how to ride, and he did, but I never bought one for myself. Now here comes Kavon with a bike, and I’m sure the desires to buy one will probable come back. Anyway, Mr. Kavon Emory might work out after all, and if not he’ll be a suitable distraction that I need till I find my mystery chocolate man. I ran down the stairs and swung open the front door. He looked at me and smiled with a devilish grin as he walked through the door. “I like what you’re wearing, but I need you to change your clothes,” he said. “I need you to coordinate your outfit to match mine; it’s a bike thing,” he stated. So we went upstairs to my bedroom so I could find the appropriate attire for the occasion. I grabbed a pair of black jeans, a red midriff top, and my black timberlands. He liked the outfit so much, that we almost didn’t make it out of my bedroom.

After ten minutes of fondling each; we decided to cut it short and to head downstairs, or we wouldn’t be going anywhere. Kavon asked me if I had a jacket to put on. So I grabbed my black leather jacket from the hall closet as Kavon headed out the door. “Have you ever been on a motorcycle before? He asked, as he un-strapped the spare helmet off the backseat. “Yes,” I replied. “I use to ride with my dad all the time.” “Okay, so you know how to move with someone?” he asked. I looked up and smartly replied. “Haven’t I shown you that already?” I said and laughed. “Well, since this was the first time you’re riding with me, I still need to tell you my rules of the do’s and don’ts while riding as my passenger,” Kavon said with a serious face. He explained how to mount, dismount, and how to sit on the bike. Then he explained what I should do if when he took a corner or sharp turn. I patiently listen and smiled to myself. I was entrusting my safety to this man and impressed that he showed concerned for my safety and welfare unlike some of the guys I’ve ridden with. He placed the helmet on my head, tightened the straps under my chin, and handed me a pair of gloves for my hands. Then he put on his helmet then his gloves then zipped up his jacket. He got on the bike first and when he was ready he motioned for me to get on. I placed my arms tightly around his waist, leaned my body close to his, and we were off. We jumped on to the Southern State Parkway headed toward the city. We zipped in and out between cars and vans with little or no effort. Eighty, ninety, a hundred and forty miles an hour on the straight a ways; in the matter of a blink of an eye! Damn, this bike’s fast, I thought to myself. We ended up at Coney Island, and everyone and anyone who had a bike was there. In fact, it looked a lot like Bike Fest in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Bikes were everywhere! There were Ducatis, Aprillias, Kawasakis, Suzukis, BMWs and Harleys. Men, women, blacks, Spanish, whites, young and old; you name it, they were out there.

Kavon zigged and zagged down the street until he recognized a few of his friends. He tooted his horn at his friends then made a U-turn and looked for a spot to park the bike. He backed in between two cars and turned off the motor. I slipped off the bike and pulled off my jacked and helmet while Kavon secured a lock on the front wheel. When he finished, he smacked me on my ass and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then we made our way through the crowd to meet up with is friends and greeted them with handshakes and hugs. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the sights and sounds of the beach. After a while, the guys decided to take a ride to Manhattan. Kavon and I walked with his friends to their bikes and watch them get suited up. His friends pulled out of their parking spaces and lined up two by two in front of where we were parked. They gave each other the high sign and sped off down Coney Island Avenue in unison. Kavon and I grabbed a frank from Nathan’s then took a stroll on the boardwalk before returning to his bike. It was damn near ninety-eight degrees outside and hot as hell! After a half hour or so, we headed back to the bike and decided to go back to my house to finish what we had started earlier. Damn, the ride home was exhilarating! What a rush! It was like I could feel my pulse rushing through my body or better yet; like I had gulped down ten cups of espresso all at once.

I couldn’t wait to get home, besides my legs and ass was sore, and my back was starting to bother me. So when we Kavon pulled into my driveway, I eagerly jumped off as soon as it was safe to do so. He pulled the bike behind the gate and came into the house after he locked up the bike. “How did you like the ride?” he asked. “I loved it, but my body didn’t,” I said as I rubbed my legs. “You’ll get used to it,” he said as he took off his jacket and placed it on the back of the kitchen chair. He walked up to me, kissed me on the neck then started to massage my sore arms and back. “Come with me, I know just the remedy for those sore muscles,” then gently took me by the hand and escorted me up the stairs to the bathroom. He undressed me slowly and then himself. As he slipped off his pants, he reached into his wallet and pulled out a condom and placed it strategically on the edge of the tub. As we stepped into the shower he reached for the soap and washed my body from head to toe. Then he bent down and lifted my leg as high as he could and began to massage my clitoris with his tongue as the water cascaded off of my shoulders. When I reached my climax, he stood up and placed my back against the wall and reached for the condom. He fumbled with the condom for a second then entered me with such force that he almost lifted me off my feet. There was nothing gentle about his movements, it was clear that he wanted to fuck and not make love! His moans became louder as his thrust became harder. He whispered in my ear that he had been holding his come all day and had to get it out. He finally let out a scream and let my leg down as his body shivered against mine. We stood under the shower and held each until the water started to get cold. Then we rinsed off and stepped out of the shower. As Kavon dried off and gathered up his clothes, I slipped on my bathrobe pulled out the baby oil. We walked into the bedroom; plopped on the bed and fell asleep. About a half hour later, I woke up to Kavon rubbing his hands over my back. He turned me over and made love to me again. Around 9:00 PM, we woke up to the buzzing of his cell phone. I guess the search for him was on. I laughed to myself and sauntered into the bathroom to freshen up. When I came out, Kavon was dressed and still on the phone. He looked at me like he wanted me to keep quiet while he finished his conversation. When he finished his ever-so-intense conversation, he said that he had to go and would call me later. He kissed me on the lips then dashed down to the stairs and out the back door. By the time I reached the bottom step, he was closing the door and ready peel out of the driveway. To tell you the truth, I think he was in for baby mama drama! Oh well, he’s got to handle that problem all on his own! Anyway, I’m not down with it, and if it should come my way, I’ll get rid of him. I walked back up the stairs, ripped the sheets off the bed, and replaced them with a fresh set, then got back in bed.

Hobbs woke me up fifteen minutes before my alarm clock went off. Damn, I had a good nights sleep, I thought to myself as I let Hobbs out. I made a cup of coffee and set out fresh water and food while watching the morning’s news. Since I was up, I decided to leave for work a little early in hopes to beat some of the morning traffic. Well, I guessed wrong. The drive to work was long and hectic due to the numerous roadway construction crews and half-asleep slow-ass drivers. After fighting the traffic for over an hour, I was sitting at my desk scheduling and confirming the senator’s weekly appointments. Around eight-thirty, I decided to give a quick call to Cory to see what he was up to. He answered the phone on the second ring with a deep sultry and sexy voice. Boy, if he only knew that his voice sent chills up my spine and made me squirm in my seat! We didn’t get a chance to talk long because my boss walked into my office inquiring about his daily briefing. So I quickly rushed Cory off the phone and promised to call back when I had more time to talk. My morning schedule consisted of seven back-to-back meetings with the senator before 3:00 PM. Then I had to make sure the senator’s travel staff had all the necessary paperwork needed for the hearings he was presiding over. By 6:30 PM, the senator and his travel staff were on their way to Albany for the next four days. Near exhaustion, I leaned my head back in my chair and began to reminisce about Jordan. Then my thoughts fast forwarded to that mysterious man I danced with in the club. It was sometime after 9:00 PM when I left work. I was mentally drained, and needed to release my stress, so I packed up my briefcase and headed for gym before going home. I arrived at the gym shortly before 10:00 PM and set out to put in an hour or two before going home. I needed to put in an hour of cardio in, so I switched between the elliptical machine and the stationary bike. Then I switched off to stomach crunches, leg lifts and finished off my workout with a couple of laps in the pool before calling it quits. I was determined to keep this body in shape and worked at it every chance I could.

For the next two weeks, my schedule was back to its regular routine and moving at a steady pace. I went to work, the gym and the club on Sundays. For the next five consecutive Sundays, I scouted the club for my mystery man with no results. Then on the sixth week, almost as soon as I walked to the edge of dance floor I spotted his handsome face from across the crowed room. Oh shit! It’s him! This time I was prepared for what ever came my way. I took a deep breath and danced my way though the crowd in his direction. I was trying to act nonchalant and pretend that I didn’t recognize him. I looked at him with a straight face hoping that he would remember me, and he did! He stopped dancing with his friends danced over to me, gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek then motioned for me to swing my hips against his. Oh was I ever excited! Shit, I was so worked up. Damn, he really is cute, I said to myself. If he made a move on me, I certainly was going to give him a chance to get it! But first, I have to find out his name. Well, he must have had the same idea because as soon as that idea popped into my head, he asked me my name. Shit, the music was so loud; I couldn’t hear what he had said. So after asking him six times to repeat his name, I felt stupid and stopped asking him, what his name was!

So again I danced with the nameless chocolate man. We danced the same way, we did the first night we met, bumping, grinding, and sweating; it felt like deja vu. We danced at least two hours before we took a break. He headed in the direction of the bar, and I excused myself and walked to the ladies’ room. When I returned to the dance floor to continue my bump and grind with chocolate man. I noticed the house lights were flickering on and off and the club’s security were walking onto to floor. After frantically looking around the floor, I observed my mystery man, my chocolate man; walking away from the coat check line with his coat and heading toward the exit door. Shit! I couldn’t get past the crowd fast enough to stop him and I couldn’t call out to him because I didn’t know his name and refused to yell out hey you! By the time I made it to the coat check line, it was twenty people deep. I couldn’t wait, I had to get my things and fast! So I pushed my way to the front of the line and passed a $5.00 bill along with my ticket to the next person. “Please would you take my ticket, I have to get out of here,” I said softly. The guy looked up and gladly took my money and ticket and passed it to the attendant. It took a few minutes to get my things and when I did, I ran thru the crowd and waved at the club’s security as I reached the front door.

I looked down the street I spotted chocolate man and his friends heading down the street toward Hudson Street. Luckily, my car was parked across the street from the club; I jumped in and headed for the corner. I noticed him entering the grocery store on the corner so I pulled up to the front door and parked my car. Perfect, I said to myself. I fumbled around inside scrounging up loose change to purchase a bottle of water and bag of chips. After counting out $3.00 in loose change, I was set and shut off the ignition. As I reached for the door handle, chocolate man was walking out of the store. He looked at me then my car and flashed those pearly whites at me and walked over to my car leaving his friends. “Did you enjoy yourself this evening?” he asked. “I sure did, how about you?” I replied. He laughed and gave me a devilish grin. “As a matter of fact, when I get a chance to get out and come to the club I look for you. I like how we dance together,” he said. I felt kinda silly to have a conversation with this guy and not to know his name. I figured if he gave me his number, he would not only write his number but also his name! So I played it cool and acted like I was in the know. Then he bombarded me with a series of questions. Was I single, was I dating anyone, where I lived? Then, just as fast as he asked the questions; he flipped the script and volunteered his personal info to me. He told me that he was an architect, owned his own business, and was single. He also stated that he lived uptown and in the same sentence asked if I would go out to dinner with him? I replied to his invitation. Yes! We noticed that his friends were getting impatient and starting to walk off. He turned to me and asked me for my phone number. I reached into my car and pulled out a pen and piece of paper to jot down my number. Then I handed him some paper to jot his number down. Call me Tuesday, and maybe we can set something up for this weekend.” He said. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and a long hug then rushed down the street to catch up with his friends. I ran in the store, purchased a bottle of water and some chips and walked back to the car to program his number in my phone. I turned on the ignition, reached for my phone, and turned on the interior light. I unfolded the paper and gazed at it in amazement, I could read the phone number, but he wrote his name in hieroglyphics! What the fuck! I pulled out my glasses and that didn’t help, then I turned on all the interior lights; and I still couldn’t make out. Damn, I still didn’t know his name! Well, I figured that when he called on the following Tuesday I could play it off and he would never know the difference. So I tucked the paper safely in the glove compartment and made my way home.

The following day the World Trade Center was bombed and New York City was in shambles! No phone service, train service was suspended, and the roadways were a disaster! It was nonstop chaos all over the city and all over America. When the phone service resumed, I called family members and friends, making sure everyone was accounted for and those who I didn’t call called me. I contemplated on calling Jordan, to see if he was okay but took the chicken way out and e-mailed him and prayed that he was okay. Two days later, Jordan responded with what seemed to be a generic response, “Thanks for being concerned I’m okay,” and that was it. Well, at least he was alive and okay, I thought to myself. After hearing about the thousands who were missing, my thoughts turned to Chocolate Man, and I picked up the phone to call his number but the call never went through. Was he okay? Was he hurt? I refused to have negative thoughts about him and prayed for his safety.

A couple of days later as I was stepping out of the tub, I received a call from Cory. “Hey Haley, I was reaching out to my friends and thought of you. I know you work all over the city, are you all right? Were you anywhere near the World Trade Center when it went down?” he asked. “Thanks for thinking about me, Cory,” I replied. “No, I was home when the towers went down, and as far as anything else, I’m surviving. Look, I’m just getting out of the tub, and I’m dripping wet, do you want to hold on or should I call you back? I’ll hold on if you don’t mind, my phone has been acting kind of funny after the bombing,” he replied. So, I put the phone down and dried off. It took me a couple of seconds to get myself together and return to his call.