Noticing The Signs
The great advantage of short trips was that you didn't need a huge amount of luggage. Dee had managed to cram it all into the single suitcase that she was wheeling through the Capital's airport. Security cleared and now she just had to find the ride that Jessica had said she would send for her.
Before that last visit it'd been years since she'd been to the Capital. Growing up in the Old Dominion she knew the city well but after she'd taken her first job way down South she'd not really had cause to return. If she came this way it was for family occasions not to then take an excursion. Then they'd decided to bring the children here to see the sights and she'd met her old student Jessica and ... Jessica's friend.
It was ridiculous but things just hadn't been the same since that first visit. For three months she had been having those dreams. When they should have faded with time they just seemed to get more intense and more ... explicit. She never seemed to get an uninterrupted night's sleep - she would wake suddenly with her mind still flooded with those images and her body... Well, let's just say she would awake in the middle of the night in an excited state only to find her husband snoring next to her. That was the problem - not so much the dreams themselves but their aftermath. From excitement and passion she suddenly hit the brick wall of reality.
That had been bad enough but then there had been the work situation. It had to be her tiredness because she had never been one for day-dreaming in class. Especially not those sorts of day-dreams.
She had decided that she had to do something about it. The problem had started in the Capital when she had gone to meet Jess. The problem would be solved if she went back over there and proved to herself that there was nothing for her to get herself so worked up about.
Jess had given her an open invitation to visit and when she had rung her old student she had seemed delighted. Apparently she was finding the latter stages of her pregnancy a considerable limitation and a bore. Having someone fresh to talk to would be a treat for her. David had raised no objection. After all she'd only had lunch with Jessica on her last visit and they had lots to catch up on.
***
Dee looked across the concourse and saw her ride. Oh my goodness - where had Jessica found him! He was the definition of tall, dark and handsome. He stood easily with a small sign in his lowered hand chatting with another African-American who looked like a cabbie.
Her ride did not look like a cabbie. He was wearing a smart tailored suit and he stood just over six-feet tall. He was perhaps in his mid-thirties and it was clear that he kept himself in shape. That suit didn't hide the fact that this was a well-built man. It also didn't hide how handsome he was. His skin was very dark and his features were regular. He was smiling as he talked to the cabbie.
Then he saw her. She knew immediately that he had noticed her. Even at that distance his deep brown eyes seemed to lock onto her blue ones. Then she felt his eyes make a swift but precise scan of her whole body - from the tips of her sensible shoes right up to the top of her head. She saw the tip of his tongue run along the underside of his upper lip. He gave a little nod and an eye-brow twitched.
Dee had seen all that before - but a long time ago. She'd been married for twelve years after all. Back in the day though, when she'd been on the dating scene, she'd seen that look plenty of times. The expression of interest. A man who was ready to move in and try his hand with her - to see if he could claim her.
Dee somehow kept walking towards him but suddenly his eyes left her and he was looking over her shoulder. Since she was 5'4" that wasn't too hard for him. He was looking around the crowd behind her. She felt a little deflated by that but took the last few steps before stopping in front of him.
"Excuse me," she squeaked, finding her throat was somehow very dry. "I'm Dee."
He looked down at her first with an expression of surprise but then seeing who she was he gave her the most beautiful and warm of smiles. "I'm sorry! It's just that Jessica told me you were her teacher in school. I was expecting someone much...older."
'I've got a few years on you, Mister', she thought to herself but she still felt a little warmth in her cheeks. "I thought you hadn't noticed me."
His smile broadened. "Oh, I'd noticed you alright. The day I don't notice a woman like you in a crowd they can take me out the back and shoot me."
She knew she was blushing red to her roots now. It wasn't just what he was saying it was who was saying it. He really was a gorgeous hunk of a man. Smooth with it too. A few years ago she'd have had to have been very careful around a man like this.
He had noticed her reaction but his smile hadn't wavered. Instead he held out a large Black hand. "I hope you didn't take offence Dee, but I like to say it as I see it. My name is James - Jessica sent me to look after you."
She shook hands with him and then, well, then he pretty much took charge. One hand took the bag she'd been wheeling and picked it up as if it weighed nothing. His other arm moved to guide her by crossing behind her back and gently taking her bare arm. She couldn't help looking down and seeing his dark fingers laying on her pale skin. A shiver ran through her - a shiver of desire.
"It is a beautiful sight isn't it?" His deep mellow voice broke in on her thoughts. She looked up at him and saw he was looking at the arching roof of the concourse. She was pretty sure he hadn't been talking about that though.
"Some fuckers have all the luck," muttered the cabby as he saw James go with his arm wrapped around the damn fine white woman. He glanced up and saw his fare - about 300lbs of sweaty male executive. With a slight shake of his head he took the man's bag.
***
Really, where on earth did Jess find them!
James was thoroughly charming and not in any way offensive but he did seem to have a one-track mind. As their Lexus drove through the city he kept making little compliments and remarks that might be perfectly innocent but...
She'd mentioned she had a family but that hadn't seemed to get through so she tried again. "As I said James, I'm a married woman. Married to my David for 12 years". She had almost said, '12 long years.'
He smiled again and gestured with his hand so the light glinted on his own wedding band. "Relieved to hear it Dee. A woman like you would be pretty much certain to be married unless of course her interests lay elsewhere. Not that I would object to that because we all seek happiness where we can find it. However, from my perspective, that would be a damn shame. Especially when we getting along so well. I'm sure this can be the start of a beautiful friendship. I've wanted that since I first set eyes on you" He looked over and nodded as if that was just common sense.
So, let's get this straight. He was pleased she was married because it showed she wasn't a lesbian and that meant she'd be available for him. It just sort of seemed to be assumed that she'd have no objection to going with him, to ... have sex with him. Her logical mind struggled to conjure up the outrage appropriate to the situation but she just couldn't do it. Her passionate side and her body were screaming, 'Yes, Yes, Yes - I want him.' She shifted a little in her seat - she knew her body was reacting to his strong masculine presence in a very physical sense. You could tell yourself something as much as you liked but your body didn't lie. Being with this man was making her like a horny teenager and it was sort of thrilling but also horribly disconcerting.
"I'm a school teacher and a married mother of three, James. It's very, er, flattering of you but I think I might be past any likelihood of that sort of thing."
"The best women are like the best vehicles. Sure if you don't take care of them, you don't give them the proper attention and the proper respect, then you gonna have problems down the line. Treat them right, give them what they need and pay loving attention to every inch and aspect of them and you'll have what they call a classic on your hands. Classy and elegant and worth more money than there is in the whole wide world."
She was blushing again - she knew James 'could pay loving attention to every inch' of her. It was obvious in how he carried himself - in his whole way of being. This was a man that could take her to places she had never even imagined existed. She looked at him and she just hoped and prayed he couldn't see in her eyes how much she wanted and needed that sort of attention.
"That sound familiar to you, Dee? Heard of any classics that ain't being treated right? I'm always ready to take on another project, just say the word."
Oh God how she wanted to say that word. But, of course, in real life you couldn't do that sort of thing. It would be crazy and so irresponsible. She thought of her beautiful children, her job, her friends - how would they react? Then, with a stab of guilt, she realised she hadn't thought of poor David. It really wasn't his fault. How could he compete with a man like James. Even ten years ago he would have been out-classed and now...
"Here's our turn - not far now. A shame - I was enjoying our chat." He drove on in silence and let Dee take in her surroundings.
Dee's husband wasn't a millionaire but he did hold an office-based position and she taught at an up-scale school in a prosperous area. Her life-style reflected that. She had the suburban home with all the conveniences and the minivan - in short the comfortable life-style you would expect of someone with her social position.
This area was rather different. An area of the city that was going to seed. Shuttered stores and weed-strewn sidewalks with gang-tags seemingly covering every inch of available wall-space. Small groups of men or youths lounged on one or two of the corners as they passed. Dee couldn't help feeling a little concerned but when she looked to James his placid face suggested this was just every-day for him.
They turned into what looked like a new development. James parked up and pointed to a small bungalow. Jess is meeting you in there - can't tell you how much she's been looking forward to it. I'll be around working and we'll organise you a lift to your hotel when you're ready."
Dee got out and James unloaded her bag for her. Without asking he set off for the bungalow with Dee walking along a step behind.
"Hey whass goin on here!"
Dee turned and saw another man. He was carrying a big rough block of stone that he casually tossed down before approaching them.
James was an impressive figure man but this man had him beat. A powerful muscular physique that was stripped to the waist and glistening with sweat from his hard morning's work. He seemed to be almost covered with tattoos - not just his chest and arms but also his back and neck. Most were rather crude - distinctly of the jailhouse variety. He was somewhat intimidating.
