Lickin' License Read online

  Vanessa hugged him and whispered in his ear, “I'm gonna love you no matter what.”

  As they parted, Rich gently ran his hands over his face and focused. “I can't believe I'm about to tell you this. We only been knowing each other for like five months.”

  “I don’t want you to feel pressure. It can wait, baby,” Vanessa said. “I'm not going anywhere.”

  “Nah, these bones been buried in my closet for too long. If I don't get this off my chest, my ribs might cave in. I'm telling you because you're the only female I ever saw as a real woman.”

  “You're the realest man I've ever known.”

  “Remember in Club Dream when you asked me about changing the world and I said 'it starts with self, but I need you to help me grow?'”

  “I remember it like yesterday.”

  “I done had this monkey on my back for years and I knew I needed a woman to help me get him off. When I saw you for the first time, I knew you might be that woman. You was in the shop with a bunch of high-maintenance freaks in designer clothes and more weaves than Wendy Williams. But you was standing firm— no Prada bag, your afro everywhere and not a spot of makeup on your face. And I could see the confidence in your stance. I knew right there, if you could be yourself in the middle of that shop, you could help me deal with the issues I need to help me be me.”

  “I'm here for you, baby.” Vanessa kissed Rich on the cheek and hugged him. She was overwhelmed. No man had ever truly understood or accepted her individuality.

  “Remember I told you about me being raised by older hustlers?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I ended up meeting those hustlers in Harlem at nine years old, because I ran away from my mother in the Bronx.” Tears began to well in Rich's eyes. “She used to—”

  “It's okay,” Vanessa said when Rich paused for a few seconds. “Whatever happened, it’s okay for you to say it. I love you and nothing in your past can change that.”

  Rich looked down for a second, then took a deep breath. He gritted his teeth and hissed. There was a rage on his face that gave Vanessa nervous chills. She knew Rich had no reason to be mad at her, but he was furious about something or someone. Something or someone had scarred him so deep, he had hidden his wound from the world. He stared into Vanessa's eyes for a few seconds, then said, “My mother used to rent me out to men.”

  “I’m sorry” Vanessa hugged Rich, cuffing the back of his head in her palm. “It's okay, baby. That was a long time ago. You're okay, now.” She could feel the tenseness inside of him as she rubbed his head and back. She had no idea that Rich would tell her anything remotely close to the trauma he had experienced. She was thankful that he had entrusted her with such a personal secret, a secret he had not disclosed to anyone else. But Vanessa was torn apart. She could not help but envision a helpless young Rich being taken advantage of by sexual predators old enough to be his father.

  After a few minutes of the couple embracing, Vanessa listened to Rich explain that he had hated women. He didn’t trust women because of what his mother had done to him. He saw his mother's face in each female he met.

  Vanessa began to understand why Rich was a womanizer, because he enlightened her and expressed how he had consciously detached himself from women as a defense mechanism.

  Rich took one of Vanessa's hands into his. He pressed it against his heart. “You feel that?”

  “Yes.”

  “The strongest man can be reduced to a weakling if he lets the wrong person inside of here.”

  “I promise you, I'm the right woman.”

  Rich was silent for a few seconds. “And I wanna be your Mr. Right. I really do. But I can't promise you that it ain't gonna be no bumps in the road and we gonna ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after. My life ain't never been no fairytale. You gotta understand, I'm thirty-five years old and I have never been faithful to a woman.”

  “I understand.” Vanessa believed that she could be the woman to help Rich transcend his past and emerge as a new man. She knew she could satisfy him on every level. But she felt guilty because she was having an undercover affair with Candy while she stressed to Rich that she wanted him to commit solely to her. As Vanessa hugged Rich, her heart pressed against his, she was certain that there was no way she was going to end the passion she and Candy shared.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CANDY

  Candy was naked. She had just stepped out of her shower. She wrapped her hair in a towel and gazed into the mirror. Suddenly she had a vision of Rich. It had been a few weeks since she and Rich had their elevator scene. Neither of them mentioned it to Vanessa. In fact, when in each other's presence, Candy and Rich acted as if nothing had happened between them. Candy found if awkward that Rich had not so much as winked at her since their encounter. Even more strange was that each time she saw him, an unusual feeling overcame her. It was a mix of anger and intrigue. She was angry with him for having the audacity to press her, but she was also intrigued by him. Their brief encounter in the elevator was the closest she had come to a man in years. She hated to admit it, but it felt good. But Candy wasn’t ready to trade a sure thing for a possibility. She had been satisfied with every woman she had experienced. The possibility of Rich completely satisfying her would make him the single success among the many men she encountered.

  As Candy stepped into her bedroom, Vera was sitting on the bed. She turned to Candy with fire in her eyes and a remote control in her hands. “What the hell is this?” Vera asked, pointing at the flat screen TV. In high definition was the video displaying Candy's face between Vanessa's legs.

  “Turn it off, now.” Candy walked toward Vera.

  “After you answer me.” Vera popped up from the bed, fidgeting and tapping the remote against her thigh. She was still in her thong and bra that she had slept in. “I want some answers.”

  “I don't owe you no damn answers.” Candy's jaw was tight with anger. She reached for the remote and Vera threw it across the room.

  “Who else pussy you sucking on down in that shop?”

  “You better go pick up that motherfuckin' remote control!”

  Vera sucked her teeth and turned to walk away. Candy grabbed her, pulling her back.

  Vera tried, with both hands, to pull Candy's forearm from around her neck. She had no wins against Candy's 171-pound, five foot ten body.

  “I can't breathe,” Vera managed to squeeze out.

  “Should've thought about that when you was disrespecting me in my own motherfuckin' house.” Candy yanked down Vera’s thong and brutally jammed three fingers inside her pussy.

  “Ugh. You're hurting me!” Vera cried.

  Candy bit down on her neck like a rabid dog.

  Vera screamed for help and tried to wiggle away to no avail.

  “You better fuckin' recognize then next time!”

  “Please, Candy,” Vera begged while tugging harder at Candy’s forearm.

  Candy loosened her grip just enough for Vera to breathe adequately. She bit Vera again, then began sucking her neck. Candy's forceful fingers started caressing Vera's clit. Soon, Vera stopped pulling at Candy's forearm. Her fight was over. Pain turned to pleasure. Vera began moaning.

  Candy turned her around and immediately saw the fear in her eyes and the trail of tears. Unmoved, she grabbed Vera's neck and forced her to the floor, on her knees. Candy strained her eyes at Vera, as if she were her worse enemy. Vera cuffed Candy's butt, still crying. She slowly leaned in between Candy's legs and began working her tongue. Candy closed her eyes and palmed the back of Vera's head.

  After a few minutes, Candy grabbed a fistful of Vera's dreads and pulled her to the floor. She stood over her, staring into her eyes as she descended. Candy grabbed the edge of her bed, squatted over Vera and rode her face. Vera's head thrashed against the floor until Candy climaxed.

  Candy rose to her feet. Her eyes never left Vera. She extended her hand. Vera nervously took it and Candy helped her up. They stood face-to-face in silence. Cand
y began wiping the tears from Vera's eyes.

  “I'm sorry,” Vera whispered. She leaned forward and passionately kissed Candy. When their lips parted, Candy playfully slapped Vera's butt and smiled. “Now put that video away and go get dressed. I gotta open the shop.”

  Vera grinned and walked away.

  It was the first time Candy had ever gotten violent with Vera. It frustrated her having to hurt Vera, but she knew that it was necessary. Yet, she hoped that Vera did not push her to the point of violence again.

  Candy stepped back into the bathroom and washed up. She got dressed and walked out of the door with Vera at her side.

  “I'm gonna call you later,” Vera said meekly.

  Candy smiled at her, hopped into her BMW and drove off. She whipped through traffic for ten minutes, then pulled up in front of the shop. “Hey, Chanel,” she said once she got out of the car.

  Chanel was leaning against her Escalade. She glanced at her iced out Jacob's watch. “'Bout time,” she hissed. “You all late. We only got ten minutes `til it's time to open, so you gon' have to stay after we close to do my hair.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I got you.” In the midst of the drama with Vera, Candy had forgotten about her appointment to do Chanel's hair before opening the shop.

  “I hope so, because my man is coming back from outta town tonight and my shit gotta be tight.”

  Candy and Chanel walked inside of the shop and started preparing for work. Candy's mind was still on Vera. She had never seen Vera act out like she did. They both had agreed that they were in an open relationship, free to see whom they pleased. And Vera had never gotten angry with Candy dealing with other women.

  “I see your master plan with that heifer ain't work, huh?” Chanel asked.

  “I'm done with her,” Candy lied about Vanessa.

  “So just fuck me, huh? You can't catch the cat, so Chanel don't get Rich.”

  “I just had a plan and the shit ain't work. But since when you need me, pussy-eatin' Candy, to get a man?”

  “The Chanel Legacy is an independent entity. I was just trying to do a little networking.” Chanel grinned. “But give me a minute. I'll show you how it's done. I got my own plan to get Rich.”

  ***

  The shop was packed later that day. Vanessa was sitting in her chair waiting for Mimi to arrive for her appointment. She was discussing her book to Leah.

  “So you're telling me the main character is a twenty-year-old girl that's creeping with her pastor?” Leah asked.

  “Yeah,” Vanessa said as she picked her 'fro.

  “You know preachers got dicks too,” said Chanel. “And they money longer than train smoke. Shit, I let T.D. Jakes hit this and his ass will go crazy. Have him convert his big ass church into a mansion for me. His ass will be so happy, he'll be on the Internet givin' sermons about this pussy.”

  “You wild, Chanel,” Leah said.

  “How 'bout you, Meisha? What preacher you'll give the pussy to?” Chanel asked.

  “Reverend Run,” Meisha said.

  “I think Farrakhan is sexy,” Vanessa said.

  “Girl, you playing a dangerous game,” said Chanel, shaking her head. “That man is watched by the FBI and protected by the NOI. Ain't no dick worth doing time over or getting stomped out by a hundred motherfuckers in bow ties.”

  Mimi entered the shop and took her seat. She exchanged greetings with the women and began listening to the conversation.

  “So what it’s gon' be, Mimi? Who you gon' let hit it?” Chanel asked.

  “The Pope,” Mimi responded.

  Chanel nodded. “That's why I fucks with you. The Pope is a baller for real. He ain't claiming no blocks. He locked down a whole city and ride around in a bulletproof car. Shit, Frank Lucas, Supreme Team, World, none of them street legends had nothing on the Pope.”

  “And I'm bringing his ass in the 'hood, too,” said Mimi. “Put some rims on that Pope Mobile.”

  “Some twenties.” Chanel laughed.

  “That's right,” Mimi continued. “Take that Yarmulke-type shit off his head, too. Hit him off with a Yankee fitted and have him in the projects blowing 'dro, you feel me?”

  The shop lit up with laugher. The women continued talking, switching to a list of what celebrities they would sex and what rumors they had heard about them. Afterwards, Vanessa and Mimi left for lunch. After they ate, they headed to Morningside Park where they sat on a bench and Vanessa sparked a discussion about Rich. She had told Mimi about their commitment to each other the day after they made it.

  Vanessa had not revealed Rich's secret to anyone. But the intimacy that they had shared that night had reinvigorated their relationship. They were becoming closer by the day. Vanessa was moved by him exposing his vulnerabilities. She had developed a view of his life that the women in the shop had never seen. Each bit of exclusive information she learned made her feel special.

  “So things really picking up for y'all?” Mimi asked.

  “The more I learn about him, the more I love him, Mimi. And there is so much more to him than people know.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yes. Take yesterday, for instance. I've been waiting to tell you this one in person.” Vanessa smiled. “Rich is taking me to lunch, but I ask him to stop by my agent's office. So we're in the waiting area—”

  Mimi interjected, “He went inside with you?”

  “He needed to use the restroom. Afterwards, I asked him to keep me company.”

  “Okay, I thought you had a stalker on your hands.” Mimi giggled.

  “Come on, Mimi. So anyway, we're waiting inside and in comes this short white guy who looks like Jack Nicholson. He and Rich make eye contact, smile and the next thing you know they're hugging like high school buddies at a class reunion. My agent opens his door and tells me he's ready.”

  “Rich knows your agent too?”

  “Just listen. My agent sees the Jack Nicholson guy and shakes his hand. Jack Nicholson introduces Rich to my agent. Then my agent and Rich call me over and introduce me to Jack Nicholson. Turns out the Jack Nicholson look-alike is really Ted Evens, the owner of my publishing company.”

  “How's he know Rich?”

  “They're both part of the same investment club. Rich has known him for years. A guy who owns one of the largest publishing companies in the country knows Rich. It's unbelievable.”

  “And you givin' what, fifteen percent of your money to your agent? Rich could've got you the deal for free.”

  “Same thing I thought. But it's my fault, because I told Rich I had a powerful agent who was sure to get me a good deal. Who would've known that a man of the streets of Harlem would've known Ted Evans?”

  “Small world, Nessa.” Mimi smiled and rubbed Vanessa's shoulder. “I'm happy for you. The deal, Rich, things are looking up for you.”

  Vanessa was happy to have Mimi's approval of Rich. Mimi had seen her aggravated in sour relationships and she had seen her frustrated as a single woman who could not find the right man. Vanessa talked with Mimi for a few more minutes about the happiness Rich had brought her. She admitted to being amazed that she was able to maintain a relationship with a man of Rich's caliber. Powerful men like him usually walked past her without a second look. They typically sought out arrogant fashionistas who spent hours in the mirror making themselves up before leaving home. She knew that Rich could have any woman he wanted, but he chose her. It was something that made her proud and something that she hoped would not change.

  * * *

  Later that night, Vanessa was greeted by Rich, as she stepped through the door of his penthouse. She was tired from work, so Rich gave her a hot bath and cooked dinner for her. After they ate, they curled up on the couch and watched Comedy Central. A comedian was telling sex jokes.

  “He gonna be the next Dave Chappelle,” Rich said, laughing along with Vanessa, as she lie on top of him.

  The comedian began telling a joke about every man wanting to have sex with two women at once.

  �
�How would you feel if I asked you to bring another woman into our bed?” Rich asked.

  “How would I feel?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How am I supposed to feel?”

  “That's what I'm trying to find out?”

  “I would feel like I'm not satisfying you.”

  “You do understand that a woman would benefit both of us, right?”

  “Assuming I wanna be with a woman,” Vanessa said.

  “You ever thought about being with a woman?”

  If only he knew. “Thinking and wanting are two different things. Moral of the story is I never thought or wanted to share my man. Can we talk about something else? Or better yet, let's finish watching TV.”

  “All right,” Rich said.

  * * *

  The topic was sparked by a comedian, but Vanessa knew Rich was considering it. She also knew that if she did not please her man, another woman—or women—would. It was a fact of relationships she had learned years ago.

  Her mind flashed to Candy. As much as Vanessa enjoyed being with Candy, she had never contemplated bringing a woman into her relationship with Rich. The two people were separate entities. But she was now exploring, within her mind, the possibility of uniting both entities. Candy would actually be the ideal candidate for a threesome. But she would never deal with a man, especially Rich. The only reason she stopped slandering him is because she knows that I love him. And even if she was willing, she's too close to me and Rich. That could easily destroy my relationship with him. She began rationalizing that one threesome with Candy may be enough to shut Rich up. I already have the best of both worlds with each of them. But what if I could convince Candy to join us, just one time? Candy and Rich—that would be a hell of an experience for me!

  RICH

  The following morning, Rich opened his eyes after a peaceful night of rest. Vanessa was staring at him, as she sat on the bed beside him. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Rich.”