both burst out laughing.
“I’m Bella,” she said, introducing herself, as she extended her hand toward Junior.
“That’s a pretty name for a pretty lady,” Junior replied, feeling something in places he shouldn’t have. Bella was perfect. Perfect skin. Perfect teeth. Perfect eyes. Perfect hair. Most of all, perfect timing.
“Junior, um, I mean Ernest . . . Ernest Johnson, Jr.,” Junior added sheepishly as he wiped his wet, coffee-stained hands on his pants and accepted Bella’s invitation for a handshake. Junior’s head swirled with all sorts of thoughts. He had a lot going on at the time, but for just one minute, it all stopped. Time seemed to stand still in Bella’s presence.
“I like that name. Ernest. Sounds like a strong name,” she complimented, flashing the most gorgeous smile Junior had ever seen.
Looking at her beautiful green eyes, shoulder-length auburn hair, and perfect facial bone structure made Junior feel flushed again. He knew Bella was much younger than he was, but she still made him feel tingly inside, like he had a middle-school boy crush. “Where are you from? I mean . . . the accent?” Junior asked, still wearing a goofy, coy smile.
“I am from Colombia,” she told him.
Junior was immediately intrigued. Colombia had a reputation for having beautiful people and dangerous streets. It was one of the places Junior hadn’t traveled to. It was, however, now on his to-go list. He loved the idea of being with an exotic woman like Bella. He knew right then and there he wouldn’t let her get away that easily.
“Wow. I’ve always wanted to visit Colombia,” Junior said honestly, smiling at Bella again.
It ended up being the beginning of an hour-long conversation. Junior agreed to walk up the street and rebuy coffee for Bella. That first impromptu date led to their next meeting three days later. It was instant sexual attraction. They ended up at the Drake Hotel. Once inside the room, their attraction was animalistic. Junior hadn’t had sex in close to two months, and he damn near attacked Bella. He forced his mouth on top of Bella’s, and their tongues did a wicked dance with one another. Junior hoisted up her skirt and fingered her hot box. Bella gasped at his touch. They kissed passionately until they finally stumbled over to the bed. When Junior entered her, he let the worries of the world fall away from his mind. Bella took him to places he’d been dying to go for years. Something inside him sparked anew, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last time he saw Bella. Still, Junior fucked Bella like he might not ever see her again.
In the months following their first date, Junior and Bella’s agreement became a two-sided sort of “friends with benefits” deal. Junior paid Bella’s living expenses and bought her expensive clothes. In return, she gave Junior the attention he craved, hot sex, and the satisfaction of knowing he was more powerful around Bella than anywhere else. Junior felt a sense of overwhelming power knowing he was spending his father’s money the way he wanted to spend it.
Bella told Junior that she was a struggling part-time print-ad model, and that when she made it big, she’d pay him back every dime of the money he spent on her. It wouldn’t be a small feat, because Junior spared no expense on his new lover. Junior didn’t care about the money. The way he saw things, Bella helped him regain control of his own life, which he’d lost to his father’s demands over the years, and more importantly, Bella made him feel he was finally his father’s equal as the man of their family. It was a win-win situation for both of them. At least that was what Junior thought. He was happier than he’d been in a long while. But yet again, his happiness depended on the feelings of another person.
“Where are you going?” Bella asked now, as she watched Junior climb out of the bed. She wasn’t expecting him to be able to move a muscle after their hot lovemaking session.
Junior smiled. He loved that Bella made him feel wanted. That was a first for him. In the past, he had usually wanted to fuck and run from the women he was with. “I have to go back to Idlewild. My mother is expecting me at our family’s annual all-white affair this evening. If I don’t show up, inquiring minds will want to know what happened to me,” Junior explained, clearly disappointed. He walked back over and stroked Bella’s hair. “I wish I could stay with you forever,” he confessed.
She pulled him back on top of her. “You can do whatever you want. C’mon, stay longer with me,” she said, her expression like that of a sad puppy dog.
Junior smiled again. He had never felt so wanted in his entire life. Bella gave him purpose these days. “I wish I could stay longer. This happens to be one night I just can’t miss. It’ll be interesting, to say the least,” he said vaguely.
Junior hadn’t been home since Desiree and Donna returned. He couldn’t lie to himself. He was anxious to see how things would play out. He also didn’t want to miss the occasion and allow all the Chicago and Idlewild elite who would be in attendance to think there was anything amiss in his family. Not yet at least. Over the years, Junior had been the Johnson kid who was the least interested in pretending the family was perfect.
“What does that mean? You can’t miss it, because . . . ,” Bella said seriously, looking Junior in the eyes.
He pushed himself up and grabbed the hotel robe from the end of the bed and wrapped his body with it. He walked over to the lounge chair and flopped down. “Look, Bella, I’ve never really told you everything about me. Of course, you know I’m a businessman, and I have sisters and parents, but my life . . . it’s . . . it’s complicated,” he said gravely, his eyes downcast.
Bella had her head propped up on one hand, and her shapely body and perfect breasts were on display. “So tell me,” she urged. “Your family . . . they have a lot of money, no? What problems can that possibly be? In this country doesn’t money solve every problem?” She stared at Junior intently.
Junior ran his hands over his shiny bald head. He didn’t know how much he should be telling his lover, but he knew he felt so close to Bella that he wanted to pour his heart out about his father, his mother, his sisters, the business dealings . . . everything.
“My father runs his own investment company, Johnson Trading. He is an investment guru to the stars,” Junior replied hesitantly. “His father, my grandfather, made money by investing in Idlewild from the beginning. He was one of the people to open the first club in the resort community, the Point. After he made money from his own investments, he decided to expand by helping other people invest their own money. And then my father took over.” He shook his head, like he’d already said too much, especially given what he knew was going on with his father right now. “But there is like a lot more to his business dealings.”
“Wow. He sounds like a powerful guy,” Bella replied, sitting up straighter in the bed. She seemed more interested now. “Big investment banker. Nothing like me. A struggling model,” she quipped, smiling, to lighten Junior’s changing mood. She quickly realized that she couldn’t seem too interested, or it might scare Junior out of talking about his father and his business dealings.
“No. Not a banker. An investor. He’s like a fund manager. And believe me, you’re better off than he is on any day. Money isn’t everything,” Junior shot back.
He exhaled, stood up, and slipped into his pants. He’d said too much. As he put on his clothing, he could feel the heat of Bella’s gaze on him. Junior needed to clear his head. He shook his head from side to side in an attempt to pull himself together. Then he turned toward Bella, wearing a fake smile.
“I have to go. Are you all right for money? I have something for you,” Junior said all in one breath,
