Page 65 of Mahogany 2
“You have to tell her. Eventually,” my ma said. “In the meantime, I’ll help in whatever way you need me to, son.” She pulled away from the hug and held my face in her hands. “But… you have to tell her. Shit like this don’t stay buried for long.”
I heard her. Heard her loud and clear. Realistically, I knew I couldn’t keep it a secret until the death of me. Bones didn’t stay buried forever. Mine sure didn’t. I just needed to handle one situation at a time. Telling my ma was going to help me with getting Diary. She said she would help me in any way possible and that was what I needed. For her to get Diary every now and then. I told her. She wasn’t happy about it but because my ma always had my back, she agreed to help me out.
15
CRESCENT
“Good afternoon, Mr. Carter,”Mahogany said, wearing a smile.
I shifted my eyes from her to the young lady beside her. “Mahogany.”
Briefly, our eyes met before she looked over at the young lady. “Mr. Carter, this is Shardae, our senior designer. While it’s been a pleasure working with you personally, I’ve decided to transfer you over to her. Shardae does amazing work. I trust that with her you’ll be in great hands.”
She wastryingto transfer me. Of course she was.
This didn’t come as a surprise—not at all.
Me and Mahogany had sex a couple of days ago. We crossed that line. And while I had been thinking about the risks that came with that, I didn’t let it consume me. I was a go with the flow type of nigga. It happened. There were no regrets. None at all. I accepted it for what it was. That might’ve been easier for me to do because I wasn’t the one with the wedding rings.
What we did might’ve been unethical… not might’ve… itwasunethical. But it felt right. I’d never experienced a woman the way I experienced Mahogany. She was… impeccable. I couldn’twait to get back between her legs. Couldn’t wait to smell her again. Couldn’t wait to taste her again. Damn she was delicious. Couldn’t wait make her pussy cream and squirt again. Couldn’t wait to make her body quiver again. I wanted Mahogany bad as hell. Maybe it was good she was transferring me because the other night was just us on some quick shit. Only God knows what I would do to her with more time and space.
I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my slacks. “You think so, huh?”
She looked away. Down at the floor for a bit before placing a piece of hair behind her. ear. Looking back up at me, she pursed her lips and said, “Mmhmm. Absolutely. Shardae has been senior designer for over a year and…”
She went on to explain Shardae’s credentials. Told me all about prior projects Shardae took lead on. Told me about how she made employee of the month five months in a row. Laughed about how some people thought she was playing favorites. Mahogany just rambled. Rambled on and on about Shardae like I gave a fuck about her or her credentials. She could be the absolute best in this bitch—trumping Mahogany and I still wouldn’t want her. I chose Mahogany for specific reasons. I chose Mahogany because she was perfect. I chose Mahogany because when I scrolled through her IG feed she called out to me. Not Couture. She did. I could’ve worked with any of the three company’s my assistants presented me with. I had meetings with them lined up after ours. But I canceled them. Decided before I even stepped foot in Couture that Mahogany was my girl.
I didn’t want Shardae. I wanted Mahogany. Not because I wanted to fuck her again. Not because I wanted her to wet my face up. I could have those things without a business relationship, and I was sure I would. It was because it was her. She was a pleasure to work with. Her mind… the way she talkedabout design… the way she focused when she didn’t think I was looking. I wanted that. To be able to look up from my phone and catch her in a zone. Fuck Shardae. IneededMahogany.
Instead of saying anything, I just nodded. Let her do her little talking and shit. She was trying to sell the hell out of Shardae, too.
“…So, like I said… perfect hands,” She concluded with a smile, glancing over at Shardae who seemed very, very intimidated. She kept her arms crossed at the wrists, eyes dancing around every part of my face but my eyes.
I laughed. “I don’t think there are a set of hands more perfect than yours for the job, Ms. Mills.”
I watched as her eyebrows raised a bit. Shardae’s did the same. I said I wasn’t calling her that anymore, right? Fuck it. She was more Ms. Mills now than she’d ever been before. Fuck her husband. He wasn’t important. Damn sure not to me, and apparently not to her neither. Couldn’t have been. Not by the way she sucked my dick. She was passionate. Very passionate. Wrapped her lips around it, looked up at me, and sucked it like she was in love with me. I’d had my dick sucked more times than I could count and nobody’s done to me what she did. It was in the eye contact and the way she moved her tongue around it, kissing it softly, gripping it with just the right amount of pressure. If I thought I was up under some kind of spell before, I knew for sure I was now. She was…my God.
Mahogany was mine.
I wasn’t letting up off her.
“Well, like—like I said… Shardae has been a?—
“Yes,” I interrupted. “I understand. She’s senior designer. I’m sure you’re great Ms. Shardae but if you don’t mind, I’ll be working with Mahogany for the duration of our contract. As we agreed.”
Me and Mahogany’s eyes met. She stayed there a bit. Just enough for me to notice fire behind them, before looking away. When she did, I tilted my head a bit and found them again. She took a deep breath and placed both hands on her desk.
“Could you give us a moment, Shar? Tamia should’ve emailed you his portfolio by now.”
With a squint, I stared at her. We stared at each other. Later was that shy shit from before.There she was.Real. Raw. Authentic. Just the way I preferred her. It was sexy as hell but did I appreciate it? Right now? Nah, not really. She was putting her foot down. Closing our agreement. Pawning me off to another designer as if I was nothing. As if the work we put in wasn’t fulfilling. Did I take it personal? Shit no. I knew her decision had nothing to do with me—but everything to do with her.Shecouldn’t work withme. I wondered if she was embarrassed or if she was ashamed because she’d cheated on a husband I knew about.
“Okay,Mrs. M. Thank you,” Shardae said before looking my way. “It was a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”
I nodded and told her to have a great day. I wasn’t working with Shardae.
The only designer I wanted to work with was Mahogany. And that was that. Did that make me a bratty ass nigga? Nah, not at all. I went after what I wanted and what I wanted, I got. Despite the circumstances, despite the running she was trying to do. Shit was messy—I was aware of that but… we could work in between. I might’ve wanted her bad as hell, but would I allow that to jeopardize the work we had to do? Absolutely not.
Shardae walked out of the office, and I smiled. “Damn, straight up?”
