Facing the Flack

Matheson enjoyed his morning at church with Mavis. It brought back a lot of happy memories from his childhood. He was surprised that so many people remembered him. He had attended church with Mavis up until he was a teenager when at that time he felt that it wasn't cool to go with her anymore.

He was happy that he had her blessing. He now understood her point of view as she explained it to him. He marveled that she was so trusting and forgiving. He had given his word as a gentleman that he would show her granddaughter the utmost respect. He knew that was the highest form of a promise. Giving your word was a big deal. Giving your word was mortgaging your family's name and honor. He had no intention of letting Mavis down.

He took Mavis home and called Val and invited her to dinner. He then went straight to her apartment.

"I hope you're hungry" he said smiling. "Because I'm famished!"

"Yeah, I've had a busy morning" she replied. "It's my turn to pick. We're going to Mama D's for lunch. I've already made the reservations because they are packed all the time, especially on Sunday."

"I've never been there" he confessed. His eyes roamed over her. She had on a printed brown and black skirt with a black blouse. The skirt had gold fleck throughout it and she had on gold sandals to match. He wanted her. He could hardly think of anything else. Having the day off didn't help. He was energized where often he was tired. Somehow knowing that there would be no pressure from her for sex, made him desire her all the more. His libido was in overdrive, something that hadn't happened in months.

"Well let's go then" she said picking up her purse. He watched the sway of her hips. Damn!

She walked towards her car which surprised him.

"I'm not driving?" he asked looking at her.

"Nope! You're riding and the dinner's on me this time" she said smiling.

Matheson was surprised. No woman he had ever dealt with turned down riding in his car before. He climbed into her Honda and laid the seat back.

"I could get used to this" he replied laughing.

It took them about fifteen minutes to arrive at Mama D's and then they had to find a parking space because the place was packed.

They finally got a break when someone else was pulling out and Val quickly pulled in the space. They could hear the jazz music when they got to the door. Val quickly told them that she had a reservation and they were led to a small table with a good view of the band.

"This place seems nice" Matheson replied. He looked around and noticed that besides himself, there was only one other white person there. He saw several black men staring at him from the bar and he ignored them.

"What's good here?" he asked looking at VaLysia.

"Everything!" she giggled.

Matheson looked at the menu. "I see they have a broiled seafood platter. I may just get that."

"It's good!" Val replied. "I may just get the salmon"

They quickly gave their order and sipped the wine Val ordered. Matheson could feel the stares and the faces that were watching them were far from friendly. He decided to ignore them.

Matheson looked across the table at Val. "We seem to be attracting a bit of attention. "

"Who cares?" Val replied. "Let them stare. Does it bother you?"

"Not really. I just don't understand their beef. I've seen plenty of black guys with white women." Matheson replied.

Their meal arrived and Matheson had to admit that it was quite good. He told Val about his day that he spent with her grandmother and how she got him to give her his word as a gentleman that he'd do right by her. He talked about his visit to church and the people that he saw that he hadn't seen since he was a teenager. He laughed as he told her that Mavis told everyone that he was courting her granddaughter.

"We're alright now, Mavis and I." Matheson said. "We have her blessing. Now I just have to convince my parents. I doubt if they will be as easy as Mavis."

"You never know" Val replied. "They may surprise you."

Matheson reached across the table and took her hand. "I'm happier now than I've been in a long time, Val. I hope they accept us but if they don't, well then they don't. I can't help how they feel. May days seem to go better even though I have less sleep from talking to you an hour on the phone each night."

VaLysia smiled not knowing what to say at his confession. She was glad because she was getting used to his attentions. Even his voice aroused her as she talked to him on the phone. She'd close her eyes and pretend that he was right there in bed beside her. She blushed thinking about it.

The check came and Val picked it up and reached in her bag and gave the waiter her credit card. The waiter paused and looked at Matheson and then walked off.

"I have to run to the lady's room. I'll be right back" Val said getting up.

Matheson sipped his drink and the waiter came back and laid the receipt on the table for Val to sign. He gave Matheson a sidelong glance and then walked off.

One of the men at the bar walked over to his table. He looked to be about his parent's age and he stopped and crossed his arms across his chest in front of Matheson.

"So…you got you a sugar baby, huh?" the tall stocky black man said to Matheson. "You got some stupid black woman paying your way, white boy?"

Matheson looked up surprised. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me, boy" the man said. He glanced back at the bar and two other men nodded in agreement.

Matheson stood up. "First of all, I don't know you. You don't know me. I think you need to mind your business." He then glanced angrily over at the men at the bar.

Just then Val walked up on the two of them. She wondered what was going on and why everyone was staring.

"What's going on Matheson?" she said standing between him and the man.

The black man looked at her. "I'm talking about you, sellout. Why you paying this man's way? You're a disgrace to your race."

"Now wait a minute!" Matheson snapped angrily stepping in front of Val and facing the man.

Just then the waiter came rushing over. He pushed the man away and faced Matheson.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave!" he said looking at Matheson.

"He came over to our table, he's the one that needs to leave" Val snapped to the waiter. "My friend hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Ma'am I'll call the police if necessary" the waiter replied looking from her to Matheson. "This is a nice family business with a quiet atmosphere. We don't want any trouble."

"And we don't either" Matheson snapped. "If we have to leave, then he should leave too and I'll tell the police the same thing, so go ahead and call them right now!"

The waiter looked around. "Sir, please. We don't want any trouble!"

"Val, lets go" Matheson replied angrily.

Val quickly signed the receipt and Matheson put his arms around her and walked out. Everybody's eyes were on them.

Matheson had never experienced prejudice before. He was seething as he walked to the car. He wanted to punch that guy out.

"I guess letting you pay for dinner was a bad idea." Matheson said as she pulled off.

"No, coming here was a bad idea" she snapped. "This will be the last time for me."

"Is it always going to be like this for us" he asked.

"I don't know, but that's not stopping me!" she replied. "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission. Thank you Eleanor Roosevelt!"

Matheson smiled. "At least the food was good."

They returned to her apartment. It was still early. Matheson checked his watch. It was only 4 pm.

"Well you want to bat a thousand and go over to my parent's house so that we can give them the good news" he ventured. "It can't be much worse than what just happened at the restaurant."

His eyes were on her as she walked across the room and sat her bag on the table. She bent over the table and sniffed the yellow roses he had brought her that day exposing an ample amount of leg. Matheson felt the blood rush south and he looked away.

She walked over to him as he sat on the sofa. "What do you want to do?" she asked grinning.

He pulled her to him and she ended up on his lap. He kissed her, his tongue seeking hers. VaLysia felt herself responding. He had a way of igniting a fire in her belly with his kisses. She felt his hand on her breast and the fire began to roar.

Matheson had planned only to kiss her, but by doing so the floodgates had opened. His hand strayed to her breast, which fit perfectly in his hand. He reached inside her bra and caressed it. Her nipple was already hard and he was surprised at the size of it. She had large nipples. His mouth watered for a taste.

Val pulled away from him and he leaned forward following her which causing her to fall back on the sofa. He covered her mouth with his.

"Val...oh god, I want you so bad" he murmured into her neck. "It's been so long..."

His voice trailed off and she could feel him hard against her leg. She didn't know how it happened, but her top was undone and so was her bra and he was kissing her breasts and she wanted to tell him to stop...that they had to stop but she couldn't say the words. All she could do was moan. She found her hands in his hair; his mouth went from one breast to the other.

"So beautiful...so sexy" he was saying to her though the haze of fire he had created.

His lips traveled back and forth over each breast and she felt his hand moved up her thigh. The warning bells were going off again. He reached her panties and she was slightly embarrassed because she was so wet. She broke the kiss. This had to stop before they went too far.

"Matheson…"

She couldn't think straight. His fingers were dancing over her center lightly making it ache in a way that it never had before. She looked into his ocean eyes and saw his hunger which made her wetter still.

"Hmmm" he said returning to her lips kissing her again. She felt her thighs part of their own accord and his fingers increased the pressure and he slipped them in the side of her underwear. She had never let a man touch her like this before.

A part of Matheson waited for her to slap his face or push him off of her. He knew that he should stop, but he couldn't help himself. He had never wanted a woman like he wanted Val. Her center was dripping and he could smell her heat. He brushed his fingers over her panties and she was so wet and so ready. He pushed the boundaries further and slipped his hand inside her panties. She had a lot of hair and he ran his fingers over it. The other women he had been with all shaved. He thought this was so sexy. He rubbed her clit and she moaned which made him shiver. He slipped one finger into her tight opening and felt the resistance when he attempted two. Her virginity intoxicated him. He would be the first and only one. She was his alone. No one else would have her.

He felt a freedom with her that he'd never before experienced. He didn't have to worry about comparisons being made. She was so fresh and so sweet. He wanted more. He had to have more. The desire to taste her sweetness was overwhelming. He could smell her arousal and his nostrils flared and he ached for her more than he ever had for any woman before her.

"Matheson" she gasped. "I…I'm sorry"

"About what?" he whispered

"I think you should stop" she replied. "I've never let anyone touch me like this before"

He looked at her and sat up releasing her.

"I consider it an honor" he murmured.

He brought his fingers to his lips and closed his eyes. She watched as he put them in his mouth. He licked them like he was eating some rare delicacy, like he was sipping a fine wine. She was embarrassed and intrigued at the same time.

He looked at her watching him and smiled.

"I'm willing to wait until you're ready, Val. I'm in no hurry. I want things to be right, perfect for you. You're going to be mine. I'm already so obsessed with you. I can't stop thinking about you and I know it's only been a couple of weeks that we've been together. I think of you as my woman and I think of myself as your man. Do you think I'm crazy?"

"No."

He was looking at her his face now close to hers as she lay there with her legs still apart unladylike. She couldn't move. Her center was throbbing with the need he had aroused as she got lost in the depths of the ocean eyes he was watching her with.

"No. I feel the same way" she confessed. She attempted to close her legs, but he pushed them apart and leaned down bringing his face close to hers.

"Let me kiss you" he whispered, his voice husky. "Can I kiss you, VaLysia?"

"Yes" she replied waiting with anticipation for his lips to meet hers. He surprised her, however as he lifted her skirt and pushed aside her underwear and she felt his tongue on her. Her body bucked up involuntarily as his actions were totally unexpected.

"Matheson!" she gasped.

He then quickly pulled down her underwear tossing them aside and she was lost, his tongue was hot and wet sending her over the edge. She felt his fingers digging into her buttocks and she heard herself screaming his name over and over again. The spasms that resulted from his oral pleasing left her aching when he finally stopped and covered her lips with his and she could taste herself on them.

"I love you already, VaLysia" he murmured. "You taste like sunshine and salt water taffy. I'm hooked. I know that there's no one else for me. You'll never get rid of me now."

Val didn't know what to say. She was half naked and aching for more, but she knew that she wasn't on any birth control. She had to keep a level head. It had only been three weeks! How could she lose control like that?

She touched him there through his pants. He was hard. "What about you?"

"Don't worry about me." He said. "I can wait until you're ready."

"I have to get on birth control first, Matheson" she said pushing him back and sitting up.

"I have condoms in my wallet." He replied watching her straighten her clothes.

"I don't want you to use condoms" she replied.

"What?" he asked shocked. He had never made love without a condom!

"If we love each other and we trust each other and I'm on birth control there's no need. " she replied. "When I give myself, my gift I don't want condoms between us. Condoms are for people who are not sure of themselves or their partners. They don't know what they've picked up to give to someone else and they don't know what they'll catch. I haven't been with a man before. You say it's been a year, so I'm going to ask you to go and get a checkup Matheson and bring me back the results before we make love. I want to go into this with a clean bill of health on both sides and with a mutual promise of fidelity."

Matheson stared at her.

"I've never had sex without a condom, Val. It's not safe!" he protested.

"Are you saying I'm not safe?" she asked putting on her underwear. You just stuck your head between my legs and licked all my bodily fluids. Are you saying you don't trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, VaLysia. " he insisted.

"Having sex without condoms is about trust and commitment between two people. Married people don't use condoms. I want a committed relationship before we have sex. I'm not pressuring you Matheson. This is just how I feel. Take all the time you need. "

He stared at her a moment and then smiled. He didn't need to think about this. He would do whatever she asked of him.

"I have nothing to hide." He said "I'll go to the doctor and get a full report if that's what you want. You go and get one too. Bring it back for me to read."

She was surprised at his request. She didn't have a sexual history. But then again, fair was fair.

"Fine. I'll do the same thing." She replied.

He walked over to her and kissed her again.

"Are we going to my parents house or not."

"Why not" she replied.

She left him momentarily to go into the bathroom and freshen up. Matheson sat there waiting for his arousal to dissipate. He would most definitely need a cold shower tonight. He stood up and stretched. she came out of the bathroom, her eyes traveling below his waist.

"Are you going to be alright?' she asked looking at him worried.

"I'll be fine after a few minutes in your facilities." he replied smiling.

She pointed the way and he went into the bathroom shutting the door.

Val opened her purse and looked in the mirror at her reflection. She was still hot from his attentions and she could just imagine what he was doing in her bathroom. She didn't want to think about that, or she'd end up changing again.

How could things get so serious between them so quickly?  Were the feelings they were experiencing towards each other the real thing?  Was it just lust and sexual attraction because neither of them had been sexually active lately and their bodies were doing the thinking for them?

She wondered what his parents would say. He had said that he was falling in love with her. Was he really in love with her or was it just something he said in a moment of passion? Did he say it because he wanted her or did he really mean it from his heart? She knew that she was falling in love with him too, but part of her was still afraid. It seemed just too good to be true! She had heard of love at first sight, but they hated each other at first sight.  She giggled to herself.

He came out of the bathroom looking like his normal self. Troubling thoughts still ran through her mind as she thought about the two of them and their new and fragile relationship. If there was nothing but sex between them, if this was only a strong sexual attraction, she knew that it would not last.

He walked over to her.

"What's wrong? Are you worried about the visit to my parents?" he asked watching her.

She looked at him and he saw the apprehension on her face. "We need to be sure that we want to do this, Matheson. You need to be sure that you really want to be with me and that it's not just a sexual attraction."

He suddenly looked hurt and Val realized that he thought that she didn't want him. "I'm sure, Val. Are you getting cold feet already? What is it? Are you afraid of what my parents will say?"

"No Matheson. I just want you to be sure of this. I want you to be sure that you are really falling in love with me and that it's not just passion talking." She walked up to him and put her arms around his neck for reassurance. He leaned down and kissed her.

"I've felt passion before, Val. I know passion" He took her face in his hands. "My father once said that you can choose a woman with you head, your penis or your heart. I've never chosen a woman with my heart before, so I know that this is real. I do want you sexually. You know that, but it's the nights we lie in bed and share our day that burns in my memory. I look forward to that at the end of my day. For so long I had no one to talk to...no one who wanted to hear about my day or my troubles. We have so much in common. We like the same things. I don't want to rush you, but I know you're the one for me. I've never been this happy or this sure of anything in my life."

He held her in his arms and rubbed her back. "I know I pushed your boundaries today and I now realize that's why you're questioning me. But it's not just the sex...its everything about you. You make me feel free. You may not know this but I was glad that you were a virgin because it removed the pressure from me that I always had to deal with in the past. Women have their expectations and I must confess that there were times I just didn't measure up to them."

"Pressure?" Val said surprised. "I thought men wanted sex all the time. I thought they were always ready and willing if the female was."

Matheson laughed. "Not always. That's a myth. We'd like to be always ready, but that's not true, at least not for me after I've worked sixteen hours. If I'm dog tired and my back is hurting, sex is the farthest thing from my mind. I want a hot shower and a pillow. We've been together twice now and both days I was well rested. Wait until you've seen me after doing double duty."

She kissed him and laughed. "I promise to be understanding"

"I'm sure I'm going to hold you to that promise" he replied.