Crescent City Connection

got into bed with him, and he played with her body like Delavon did, gloried in her copious flesh like she was some kind of goddess.
    But he did one thing different from Delavon. He talked to her real nice while he was making love to her. He’d say things like, “Oh, baby—man, you beautiful. You so beautiful, baby. I ain’ never seen nothin’ that pretty in my life. Oh, man, look at those titties. Oh, man.”
    Like that. It made Dorise feel shy and strange, and she woke up with her nose out of joint again. She got up and pulled on a robe and went in the kitchen.
    She was standing at the sink, drawing water for coffee, when Troy came up behind her and grabbed her round the waist. “Baby. I thought I’d lost you.”
    He wore only his jeans, his big, good-looking chest hanging out for anyone to see. He was built like Delavon, sort of—both of them had good big shoulders, handsome torsos. His skin was light, too, much lighter than Delavon’s.
    “Whatchew mean?” Her tone sounded harsh, even to her. She didn’t know why.
    He put his hand gently on her head and stroked her hair. “Hey. Hey, look at me, baby.”
    She didn’t want to.
    He dropped into a chair and took her hand, so that she had to look down on him. “Wha’s wrong? Now tell Troy wha’s wrong.”
    “Ain’ nothin’ wrong.” Once again, she heard the snap in her voice.
    “Baby.” He stared up at her, adoringly, she thought, but that was impossible. He barely knew her. “Baby, you cain’t be this way. You tryin’ to break my heart? Huh?”
    He looked so sad she smiled, to see if she could make him smile. “I’m not tryin’ to break your heart.”
    “No? Well, then whatcha doin’? Whatcha think ya doin’? Baby, I need you. Don’t do this to me.”
    “Don’t do what?”
    “One-night-stand me. Love me and leave me. Suck me dry and throw me out.”
    She had to laugh. “Suck you dry? I ain’t even started yet.”
    He grabbed her around the waist again, and then leaned toward her. He dropped to the floor, to his knees, and slid his hands down over her hips, around to the front of her thighs.
    He opened her robe and thrust his face inside, licking her pussy.
    She thought she was going to die. This man was on his knees, licking her pussy. Delavon wouldn’t do that in a million years.
    Wouldn’t do either thing, she thought.
    She wasn’t sure she really liked it.
    But they ended up in bed again, and she was damn sure she liked the rest of it.
    How did I ever do without this?
she thought.
    He said, “Man. I could sure use some eggs and grits.”
    “I’ll make you some.” Automatically, she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
    “Uh-uh. I’ll make ’em.”
    “You know how to cook?” This was too much.
    “No. But I can make eggs and grits.”
    She took a shower while he made breakfast, and it was a new experience for her.
    This a day for firsts
, she thought.
I never see a man go down on his knees, and I never had one cook me breakfast. I sure am gonna enjoy this.
    They were having coffee when he said, “What you doing this week, baby?”
    “I’m—well, I got Shavonne and—”
    He looked impatient, made some kind of quick gesture, like brushing away a mosquito. He said, “We work somethin’ out. I mean, who you workin’ for?”
    “You know who I work for. What you mean?” She’d flared again.
    “Now don’t get mad. Course, I know who you work for. Uptown Caterers, right? Am I right?”
    She nodded, wondering where this was going.
    “I meant what ladies are you workin’ for?”
    “I don’t know. I never know till I get there.”
    “Sometimes they perfect strangers, right?”
    “Umm-hmm. Usually they are.”
    “And they real rich, right?”
    “I don’t know about that. Some of ’em just have stuff they inherited, ain’t made no money their own selves. But they got stuff. They got stuff piled up on top of stuff. They got antiques covered up with real nice linen scarves and they got more antiques sittin’ on top. Like maybe a jewelry box worth as much as the jewelry they got in the box. Then they got a silver candleholder on top of the box. You know what I mean? They got so much stuff they can’t keep track of it.” She went off in one of her dream states. “Wonder what it’d be like to have that much stuff?”
    Troy pulled her back. “I could maybe help you.”
    “Help me what?”
    “Help you get some stuff.”
    “Now how you gon’ do that?” Dorise leaned back in her chair, her robe