Something She Can Feel

“I guess that’s perfectly innocent. So, you’ve been sitting in here all night?” I said, laughing. “You haven’t even taken off your work clothes.”

“No. I just got in about thirty minutes ago. I was in a meeting with the school attorneys and then I met with Mr. Williams about those scholarships. Everything ran over, so I’m just getting home.” I could tell he was exhausted. Evan got like this sometimes. He’d work himself until he was literally turning blue at his temples from the pressure.

“Have you eaten?”

“No ... I’m fine.”

“Evan, I told you not to do that. It’s not healthy,” I said, rubbing his temples.

“There was just a lot to do. I have to get ready for this thing with Dame and you know the white folks are nervous about having a rapper come to the school.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Yeah. There’s all this stuff about image and what the other districts will think,” he said.

“I don’t think Black Warrior needs to worry about image. Besides, we need the money. I’m sure they understand that.”

“It’s hard to understand people needing money when you have it and you’ve had it for a long time. They think the kids are just lazy. And the teachers aren’t doing their jobs. And with me standing over the whole thing, it’s so easy for them to say, ‘And they have a black man leading the ship.’ ” He sighed and took a sip of his beer. “It’s just a lot of crap, but I have to play their game until I make it to the top.” He paused and looked at me. “That’s why I’m glad you’ll be there.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m gonna play this thing with Dame from a distance. Take a few photos and get out of the way. The last thing I need is for him to get into some trouble down the road and it comes back to me. They’ll use it to bury me when I run for office.” Evan sliced at the air with the side of his hand with each point he made. He always did this when he was nervous. He’d been considering a run for mayor for years.

“So you want me to play babysitter? Is that the real reason I was selected to accept the check?”

“No, he really did request you. Called me himself.”

“Hmm,” I murmured, shrugging my shoulders. “I’m not happy about being in pictures with him either. What will people say about me?”

“Nobody’s looking at you, sweetie.”

I narrowed my eyes at Evan.

“No, baby,” he said, laughing. “I didn’t mean it like that.... I meant it more like, more people will be looking at me. I’m not asking you to sleep with the boy. I just want you to take a check from him.”

I folded my arms and turned away from him.

“Oh, baby,” Evan pleaded playfully. “Now, I was just sitting in here thinking about how beautiful and fine and funny and brilliant and wonderful and sexy and—” He stopped and kissed me on the back.

“What, you ran out of words already?” I said, poking my lip out farther.

“No. When I said, ‘sexy,’ I just remembered what you look like naked,” he said between kisses.

“Evan.” I giggled and turned around, swatting him with my hand. Evan seldom made direct passes at me.

“Sexy,” Evan said again. He put down his beer and grabbed my hand. His voice turned deep and suggestive. He traced the imprint of my nipple beneath my shirt with his tongue and moved his hand down toward the hem of my skirt. He slid his hand between my thighs, scratching at my leg a bit.

“Now, tell me, sexy, did you take your pill today?” Evan asked, looking into my eyes dreamily.

“No,” I whispered.

He groaned and began to kiss me more deeply, as if he was afraid of getting caught. I cupped the back of his head and grabbed some of the loose curls at the nape of his neck, pulling his face closer to mine. That’s when Evan opened his mouth wider and began clawing at the insides of my thighs, tearing my stockings and then my panties, too. He undid my blouse, and gently tugged at my breasts with his mouth as he kept his eyes locked on mine.

“Take my pants off,” he whispered as he moved from one breast to the other.

I stood up and teased him, slowly opening his buckle and then his button, and then unzipping his pants.

“Oh, shit,” Evan cried and knocked the beer to the floor. Neither of us reached for it.