Some may feel that romance or fiction writing

isn't necessarily serious writing.

I beg to differ.

A sneak peek at

"Some Wounds Never Heal"

Due to be released January 2012

Excerpt

Excerpt

Excerpt

Women's Art: Women's Vision

The Essence of a Lady

What am I going to wear for this thing?” Andrea asked herself as she rifled through her closet. It seemed that every outfit she owned was either too plain or too revealing. Not that revealing was a bad thing, but she thought Christopher would trip if she even considered wearing a plunging neckline or a mini dress to a party that his brother Byron would be attending.

Christopher introduced her to Byron after their first date, and, like many of the guys who met Andrea, he developed an instant attraction to her. Byron never tried to pursue his attraction, but Christopher didn’t trust any man — including his own brother — around Andrea. To him, she was too nice for her own good; she didn’t know how to discourage men.

In college, she was even known to give men her telephone number because she couldn’t think of any other way to get rid of them. He knew he had to put a stop to that, so right before graduation, he proposed. He wasn’t sure if he was ready, but he knew he couldn’t risk losing her.  He never discussed it with Andrea because he knew she would never understand. All he knew was he loved her and he would do whatever it took to suppress any player he had left in him to keep her. Shortly after graduation, they married.

“Baby, are you about — why are you still in your robe?” Christopher asked as he stuck his head into the bedroom. He had just picked up Byron. A faulty starter had grounded Byron’s forest green Honda Accord, and it wouldn’t be fixed until tomorrow.

“Chris, I don’t know what to wear,” she moaned apologetically. “All my nice dresses are too revealing, and everything else looks too plain.”

“Girl, wear what you want,” Christopher said, sucking his teeth.

“You sure?”

“Wear that black one. Your body is slammin’ in it!”

“Okay.” Andrea shrugged as she pulled out a form­-fitting, strapless, velvet dress with a sweetheart neckline. As she slipped it on, she felt the material hug her comfortably at the hips and fall just barely over her knees. She then inspected herself in their full-length mirror and frowned.

“Maybe this is too dressy to wear at home.”

Christopher shook his head slowly. His wife went through this ritual every time they had something to do.

“Girl, just put something on. Just remember that you’re the hostess as well as my wife, so you have to represent the Lee family right.”

Andrea laughed as she walked over to the dresser and began touching up her makeup. “Where’s Byron?”

“Downstairs waiting on us.”

Rrrrriiiinngggg!

Christopher glanced at the clock, which read 8:15 as he picked up the receiver. “Merry Christmas.”

“Well, Merry Christmas to you, too, Son-in-Law!” Roselle Thomas replied cheerfully.

“Hey, Ma,” Christopher answered with fake enthusiasm. Generally he didn’t mind having his mother-in-law call; just not tonight. They had company coming and Andrea wasn’t dressed. Now, the way Roselle liked to talk, she would never be ready.

“Yo, Chris! Dee!” Byron called from downstairs. “Brenda and Alexis are here.”

That was Christopher’s chance to get away. “Ma, lemme put Dee on the phone. We have company coming.”

“Okay, I just wanted to thank y’all for this dress. I’m wearing it to the club tonight.”

 “Alright, now,” Christopher said with a laugh. “Don’t hurt nobody.”

He handed the receiver to Andrea, mouthed ‘hurry up,’ and rushed out of the room.

“Hey, Mommy,” Andrea said cheerfully. “Did you open your present yet?”

 “Girl, I been opened my present! This is a baaad dress. I was just tellin’ your husband that I’m wearing it to Whispers tonight.”

“Have fun. We have a party going on here tonight,” Andrea replied as she retrieved a pair of black jeans from the closet.

“What did your husband get you?”

Andrea winced. She knew that was the real reason her mother called. She thought the sun rose and set on Christopher. The man could do no wrong in her eyes. Whenever Andrea and Christopher had problems, Roselle acted as if it were her daughter who was being unreasonable.

“A pearl and diamond ring,” Andrea said, letting out an audible sigh.

“Girl, your man is taking care of you! Go ’head on!”

“It’s just jewelry, Mommy.”

“It’s more than some wives get.”

“I guess.”

“What’s wrong? You wanted more?”

 “No, it’s not that,” Andrea said as she tried maneuvering the receiver and slipping on a beige turtleneck sweater. “You just act like he gave me a trip around the world.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m just happy for you. I’ma let you get to your party.”

“Okay, Mommy.” Andrea smiled. She knew her mother didn’t mean any harm. “Have fun tonight. You going with Shirley?”

“Yeah. Maybe we’ll both get lucky!”

“You’re silly,” Andrea said with a chuckle. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Roselle said cheerfully.

“Hello, ladies,” Andrea said with a smile as she reached the living room.

“’Bout time,” Brenda replied, playfully checking her watch.

As the women sat together and chattered about everything from outfits to Christmas presents, Christopher and Byron sat on the couch across from them, having their own conversation.

“You didn’t tell me Brenda’s kinfolk had it going on like that, Yo!” Byron exclaimed in a soft whisper.

Christopher looked at the young girl sitting across from him. How could I have not paid attention to this girl the other day? I musta been crazy, he thought.

She couldn’t have been any older than twenty, maybe twenty-one. She looked sweet with her small-faced espresso complexion and full lips. Her curly jet-black hair dangled downward, barely touching her breasts. It was probably a weave, but with a body like that, who cared? By her features, she looked to be of mixed descent, but he couldn’t figure out what, which only added to her mysterious allure. And that ass! It was the perfect example of an onion booty — an ass that would make a grown man cry.

When she visited the townhouse two days ago, he was just coming in from the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base gym with Byron and Lewis. Since Lewis’s wife Sheila worked there, they were able to get in whenever she was at work. Christopher had barely noticed Alexis. When he pulled into the driveway and saw Brenda’s car, he rushed in and went straight upstairs so he wouldn’t have to talk. He’d barely heard Andrea trying to give introductions. He breathed a “what’s up” before he reached the top of the steps and closed the bedroom door behind him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like Brenda, but he had just finished playing basketball with Lewis and Byron for three straight hours. A few years ago, that would have been nothing, but his job as a sports reporter was keeping him so busy that he had been slacking off on his gym time. The rivers of perspiration and his rapidly beating heart told the story. The last thing he wanted to do was socialize.

“Man, I didn’t know,” he told Byron, shaking his head.

“I think I’ma try to get up wit her later, Son,” Byron whispered just as the doorbell rang.

To avoid staring at Alexis any longer, Christopher jumped up to answer the door, but Sheila and Lewis had already let themselves in.

“Merry Christmas, Black people!” Lewis said in his booming voice as he walked into the living room. He was a thin, six-foot-two Old Dominion University grad with a private dental practice in Norfolk. Sheila, his wife of three years, was an aerobics instructor. The cocoa-colored beauty wore her hair in upswept micro-braids, and was as tall as Lewis with a body that rivaled Naomi Campbell’s.

Soon laughing, drinking, and merriment filled the townhouse. Lewis, who was by no means boring, kept the party rolling with riddles and jokes — many of which he came up with from the top of his head. As Case’s “Touch Me, Tease Me” blared from the Lee’s stereo, Andrea coaxed Dominique, the biology teacher, into getting loose and dancing. Meanwhile, Christopher, Alexis, Sheila, and Christopher’s co-worker, George, had started a spades game in the dining area.

“How many you got?” Christopher asked Alexis. He didn’t know why he had agreed to be her partner. He was sure his occasional glances were getting obvious. He couldn’t help it — the woman was fine! And that plunging neckline that accentuated her 36C breasts wasn’t helping matters.

Alexis, who had set her sights on Christopher when she saw him two days earlier, glanced at her hand, which held three aces and no hearts. She winked at him. “I can get you as many as you need.”

“Sounds like another 10 hand to me,” Christopher said, winking at George. They’d been neck-and-neck for the entire game. This hand would determine the winners.

“You heard ’em, potna,” George said to Sheila. “Looks like board to me.”

“I ain’t goin’ out like a sucka,” said the always-ready-for-a-challenge Sheila. “Let’s go for five. We can set ’em.”

“See, that’s what I like to hear!” George said. “I got a partner for y’all asses!”

“We’ll see,” Christopher said.

“Yes, we will,” Alexis agreed, glancing quickly at her partner. She didn’t want it to be obvious that she wanted this man. She didn’t even tell Brenda because she knew Andrea would find out.

Alexis, although only twenty, was the type of person who set her sights on something and didn’t let go until she got it. In her three years at the University of New Orleans, she had already dated guys from each of the six major colleges in the Big Easy. To her, going after a married man was a new challenge, but this Chris guy wasn’t going to be hard at all. He’s already staring so hard I’m surprised nobody else noticed, she thought. Hope his eyes don’t pop out of his head.

But somebody had noticed. Byron watched his brother’s eyes from the moment he entered the room. He wondered if Christopher was considering sleeping with this girl. He quickly dismissed the thought. She is fine, he thought, but is she worth his marriage? At that moment, he changed his mind about trying to get to know Alexis. No use in both brothers sweatin’ her. He didn’t care how fine she was — stroking a woman’s ego wasn’t his style.

“I told you we was gonna set y’all asses!” Sheila shouted as she slapped down the last spade. “You better start subtracting now, and get ready to get up!”

Christopher didn’t even bother to subtract. He just got up laughing.

“You got me, Dog,” he said, dapping George. “We’ll have a rematch soon.”

“Most definitely,” George answered.

Losing the game didn’t even bother Christopher. He just knew he had to get away from that table. He couldn’t figure out why he was this tempted to cheat on his wife. What was it about Alexis? He’d seen beautiful women before — what was so different about her? Was it because she was in his house? Was he picking up vibes? Did she seem like less of a challenge? Or was it a combination of everything? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he had to stay away from her because no woman was worth his marriage.

“So what’s up?” Alexis asked. She’d seen him retreat to the kitchen and, while no one was watching, slipped in behind him. She was determined to find out exactly what was going on with this man.

“Nuttin’,” Christopher mumbled, trying to be oblivious to her seductive tone as he reached into the refrigerator. He pulled out a couple two-liter bottles of soda and put them on the counter as he opened the liquor cabinet. “What’s up with you?”

“I saw you checkin’ me out,” she said as he placed a half pint of Seagram’s Gin next to the soda. “So whatcha wanna do?”

“Baby, if you haven’t noticed, I’m married,” Christopher said as he retrieved an unopened bottle of Hennessy.

“And?”

Christopher stared at her, stunned.

Before he could reply, Andrea innocently entered the kitchen. “You need some help, Chris?” She tried to hide her frown when she saw Alexis leaning against the counter. “Oh, hi, Lexy. I didn’t know you were in here. I guess he doesn’t need any help.”

Before Alexis could answer, Christopher broke in. “Well since you’re here, why don’t you take the liquor into the party and I’ll find some more food. Alexis, take the sodas in and put them with the liquor.”

“Yes, Sir,” Alexis said with a smile and an exaggerated salute as she followed Andrea to the refreshment table.

“So how’s married life, Dee?” Alexis asked as they arranged the drinks on the table. She had to almost shout over Mystikal’s “Y’all ain’t Ready Yet” blaring from the living room.

“Ohhhh, y’all got the New Orleans music going! Don’t make me have to go and get Mia X from the car.”

Andrea laughed, then answered Alexis’ question. “Marriage is going well. You thinking about trying it sometime?”

“I don’t think so. Got too much to do in life.”

“You mean too many to do,” Andrea corrected with a smile.

“And you know it!” Alexis replied with a laugh and a high five for Andrea.

Andrea wanted to add, ‘just stay away from my husband,’ but decided against it; she didn’t want jealousy to get the best of her.

It was nearing one in the morning, and the party was dying down, but Brenda, Alexis, Sheila, and Lewis were still going strong. Byron, who had to be at work at Tommy’s Seafood Bar and Grill at nine in the morning, had caught a ride home with George. Dominique and Jameese, who were anything but party animals, had left around eleven-thirty.

Meanwhile, Alexis had found another way to be alone with Christopher — this time, outside in front of the house. It didn’t look suspicious because Lewis was out there too; no one knew he had taken a walk so he could smoke a cigarette. Alexis and Christopher rested in the lawn chairs as they waited for him to return. Since they were alone, she became bolder in turning on the heat.

“You can’t tell me you don’t want this,” she told him with a smirk.

“I told you, I’m married,” Christopher said, feeling irritated. He could feel the player creeping back into his veins, but he was trying his damnedest to fight it.. “What’s up with you, anyway? Your cousin is my wife’s best friend.”

“And?” Alexis replied.

“Why are you trying to fuck that up?”

“Wait a minute. I’m not trying to fuck anything up. I’m only going to be here until after New Year’s, so why would I want to mess up your little marriage?”

“Damn, it’s getting cold out here,” Christopher said, abruptly getting up from his chair and walking around. “I’m going in. You watch for Lewis.”

Alexis remained seated, rocking back and forth as the chilly wind blew through her hair and slapped at her chest. How does a place go from being so nice during the day to being so cold at night? I coulda stayed in New Orleans for this.

“No, I’m going in. You can keep this cold weather,” she snapped.

As she reached for the door, Lewis came strolling back to the porch.

“Damn, Man,” Christopher snapped. “What took you so long?”

“I had to smoke two,” Lewis replied with a chuckle as they strolled back into the house.

“Man, how does a dentist smoke cigarettes?” Christopher asked, as the trio rejoined the ladies in the living room. The sounds of Mariah Carey’s “Butterfly” greeted them.

“Everybody needs a vice,” Lewis answered with a shrug. “I just don’t let my patients do it.”

They laughed as Lewis turned his attention to his wife. “Ready to go, Babe?”

“Been ready,” Sheila replied, putting on her coat. “I was just waiting on you to finish your cancer stick.”

“Well, let’s hit it. Black folks, Merry Christmas, and thanks for the hospitality.”

The remainder of the group chanted their good-byes as the couple headed for the door.

     Brenda decided to follow suit. “Lexy, let’s let these good people get some sleep,” she said, grabbing their coats from the coat rack.

“Cool with me,” Alexis said, taking her coat.

Once everyone left, Andrea began gathering the last of the party trash. Brenda had helped her wash dishes earlier, so there wasn’t much more to clean.

“Baby, save that for tomorrow,” Christopher said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He began rubbing his already-hard penis against her buttocks.

“Where are you going to put that?” she asked coyly.

“You gotta ask?” he mumbled, kissing the nape of her neck. “Leave that shit alone until tomorrow and come to bed. You look tired.”

Andrea smiled as she followed her husband up to their room. She wasn’t tired, but she knew that was her husband’s way of saying he wanted her to come to bed so he could make love to her. Being married to a man who loved sex almost as much as he loved her could be fun, but she had to admit that it got tiring at times. However, she didn’t mind tonight because she also was in the mood.

When they reached the bedroom, Christopher left the lights off and turned on some light jazz. He silently and slowly undressed Andrea garment by garment, while she did the same to him. He ran his hands slowly up and down her body, sending chills through her spine and turning her into jelly. He kissed her passionately, first on the lips, then her cheeks, down to her neck, and Nelly on her breasts.

 He tried forgetting about the young woman who had made advances toward him earlier and began to concentrate on his wife. Everything about Andrea turned him on. How could he ever want anyone else? She was no less attractive than Alexis, and a hell of a lot more experienced. She could give him everything he needed and more.

As she kissed him, she slowly flicked her tongue around his ears. She slipped it behind his right ear, around every curve, and into the canal. She knew this was what turned him on the most. She laid him down on the bed and let her tongue massage every inch of his body. She straddled him and put his hands on her breasts, rubbing them gently, while her vagina rubbed slowly over his penis.

As he caressed her breasts, Andrea slipped her hands down her body until they met her clitoris. The two moaned in unison as her right index gore stroked her clitoris and the left one slipped inside her vagina.

Christopher expectantly watched his wife masturbate for him. He didn’t know where she had learned that, but he was so glad she had. It made the sex all the more sensuous. He felt his passion growing by the inch.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed her by the waist, rolled over on the bed, and quickly moved on top. He penetrated his wife’s wetness, began thrusting violently and grabbing her breasts. “Do...you...like...that?” he asked his words in time with his ever faster and deeper thursts.

“Yes, Baby,” Andrea mumbled. She closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He placed her legs on his shoulders, allowing him to get deeper still. “Is it mine?”

“Yes,” she replied with a girlish voice.

He thrust harder. “Nobody else’s?”

“Nobody!” she exclaimed as she arched her back. Her hands rushed to his arms as if to push him away, although she really didn’t want him to stop.

“You sure?” he taunted as he went deeper than he’d ever gone before.

“Ooooh! Baby, I would never give your pussy away!”

He slowed down and began stroking softer, drawing more intense moans from his wife. He wanted her to feel every inch of his manhood. He dug deeper and sucked her nipples, which stood at attention.

Andrea wished it could go on all night, but she knew that at this pace that they would both climax soon.

She clenched his buttocks and belted out a loud moan, “Ooh Chris.”

That’s all Christopher needed to hear to know that she was ready.

After a few more quick thrusts from Christopher, they climaxed together.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” he said quietly, rolling over onto his back.

Andrea moaned softly as she laid her head on his chest.