A NEW NORMAL: Chapter 1

~ TEQUILA SUNRISE ~

I reached for a sheet to shield myself as a cool breeze covered my body like a blanket. There was a draft coming from the bathroom window, which had been left open all night. I lay shivering, searching aimlessly for anything warm to comfort me. As a cold August morning rolled in, a hangover pounded my head to a rhythm I didn’t want to party to. The constant ache caused my eyes to stay closed. While I was trying to stay warm, I realized I wasn’t alone. My hand grazed flesh that didn’t belong to me, and I didn’t recall saying good night to anyone. I was sprawled out naked on my girl Kira Taylor’s sleeper sofa with a sheet underneath me. Knowing that I wasn’t alone made me realize where I had been. I rubbed my temples, trying to stop the beat in my head. With each tender massage, the chain of events became clear to me.

Kira and I had been at the club all evening working the dance floor. I recalled a pair of six-four bronze-skinned twins had offered us cocktails. We danced with them all night. Kira and I whispered back and forth while we partied, trying to gain as much knowledge about the twins as we could. Music and conversations fused together made everything sound muffled. The guys exchanged surface conversation with Kira and me about their careers. Eventually, I found out enough to continue partying with them. They were graduates of Southern University, ran a family-owned business and had no children.

As the night came to a close, Kira and I wanted to double our pleasure and party til the break of dawn with the Greek gods.

“Girl, we have never partied with twins. It seems kind of weird because they look so much alike,” Kira whispered. The guys sat across from us at the table, sizing us up with gator smiles.

I laughed and said, “All of the women in the club have been watching them, and they have been with us the entire night.”

“I know. It’s getting late. What do you want to do?” Kira looked at her watch.

“I need to go to the ladies’ room. I’m a bit uncomfortable with the two of them talking among themselves and staring at us looking like they’re scamming.”

“Okay,” Kira replied.

We excused ourselves and went to the bathroom giggling and stumbling. The bathroom smelled of cigarette smoke, which over-powered the floral scent.

“Ohh! I have to use it bad!” Kira ran past me to get to the first available stall. I made it to the stall next to her.

“Me too. I’m over here doing the pee pee dance. Whooo!” I said, wiggling around.

“Sometimes when I pee I have a mini orgasm,” Kira said, moaning.

“Girl, you have a mini orgasm just thinking about orgasms.”

We flushed the toilets at the same time.

After having three Long Island Iced Teas, I was struggling trying to adjust my dress. Kira had finished washing her hands when I cam out of the stall. I walked over to the basin to wash my hands. Kira looked at me and asked, “Which one do you want?”

I pulled a paper towel and dried my hands. Puzzled I asked, “Which what? What are you talking about?”

“What twin do you want to be with?”

“Oh! I didn’t know what you were talking about. The one in the brown shirt has been giving me inviting looks all night. Did you notice how he was glaring at me when we switched partners on the dance floor? Let’s go back to the table and ask them who they want to continue the evening with,” I said.

“It really doesn’t matter to me. They have the same face, same body,” Kira said, putting on her lipstick.

“But they may not have the same groove,” I said.

“It’s not like we’re going to marry them. We just want to have a little fun.” Kira rolled her eyes.

She was right. I’m the one who thinks about the possibility of having a long-term relationship whenever I meet a guy. Every time I’m with a man, I try to picture us being married. Kira never lets her emotions take control of her heart. She’s down for one thing, and that’s sex. I force myself to have strong feelings for someone if we go out on a second date.

We walked back to the table, and our guys were hemmed in their seats with women grinning in their faces and pressing their breasts against them. They were taking in the attention, nodding to the whispers as gentle caresses stroked their hands and chests. Kira and I looked at each other.

“Excuse me!” Kira shouted with an attitude.

The guys looked up and brushed the women off like flies.

“So you two found your way back from the ladies’ room,” one of the twins said.

“Can we move this party somewhere else? I don’t want to cause a scene,” his brother said. The women walked away. One left her number on the table and Kira balled it up and tossed it on the floor.

I put my jacket on and headed for the door. Kira followed. We kept walking and I didn’t look back to see if the twins were on our heels. I didn’t want to give them the impressions that I was desperate, which I’m not. I just happen to delight myself with the comfort of a man.

When we reached the door, Kira turned around and only one of the twins was behind us. “Where’s your brother?” she asked.

“He went over the bar to take care of our bill.”

“Thanks so much for everything. The two of you have been quite generous tonight,” I said.

“My girl Simone and I have been to this club several times, and we have never had this much fun,” Kira said. “We usually end up with the ugliest guys in the club. Most of the nice-looking guys think they’re too fine to ask us to dance, so we party with the ugly ones. The fine guys act like we’re trying to have their baby or something. We just want to party. Most of the women in here want a man who looks good, drives a fancy car and has plenty of money. They’re gold-digging heffas, and gold diggers we’re not.”

We laughed.

“What did I miss?” the other twin walked up and asked, looking perplexed.

“Nothing, man.” His brother gave him a look that eased his curiosity.

We stepped outside and headed to the parking lot. I stood at Kira’s car door knowing I didn’t want to be alone on this hot August night. I couldn’t remember the twins’ names, so I pretended to get them confused.

“Now which one are you?” I asked, pointing to one of them.

“I’m Stone,” he replied, pointing to himself.

“Stone,” Kira repeated.

“I’m Jacob,” the other brother replied.

Theses brothas were identical down to the pitch of their voices, but their personalities were like night and day. Jacob was extremely playful while Stone seemed more of a romantic. I figured Kira and Jacob would hit it off. She could be silly and have fun with him all night. She gave me an unwavering look that let me know she wanted Jacob. Perfect, because Stone and I were exchanging electrifying stares all night.

“It’s getting late. Where do the two of you want to go?” Jacob asked.

Kira looked at me wanting me to say something. Everyone was waiting for me to speak, and my armpits started to get hot.

“We could go to my place for more cocktails and a movie,” Kira suggested, rescuing me from an uncomfortable situation.

I was apprehensive about going to her place alone with two guys we had just met, but I agreed. They said yes and trailed us to Kira’s apartment.

Ever since Kira became a cop, her untamed disposition has made me question her decisions. I promised myself I wouldn’t let her get me into any demented predicaments, but time and time again I seem to end up right along with her. She’s not afraid of anything and will kick someone’s ass if she has to.

On the ride home, she blasted the music on the radio singing loud and crazy.

“I’m starting to sober up, girl. Are we out of our minds inviting these men back to your place?” I asked.

“We’re not crazy. We just want to have a little fun. Don’t be scared. I’m strapped, and I got your back if one of them decides to act a fool,” Kira assured me.

“Something is definitely wrong with us. I keep letting you pull me into your reckless escapades that end up where? Make sure you protect the honey pot.”

“Now you know I’m going to protect that. I’m not trying to catch nothing but a good time,” Kira said.

We pulled up to her apartment. She let her window down and waved for Jacob to pull in front of the building. “Park right here and I’ll come back to get you,” Kira said.

The twins agreed and we pulled into a secured gate and parked in Kira’s designated stall. We got out and walked up a flight of stairs and headed to a door that led to the front of the apartment building.

“Girl, they are still sitting in the car like two obedient Catholic altar boys,” Kira said, laughing.

I pulled at my dress, fixing the straps as we walked toward them. They saw us and got out of the car.

“That wasn’t long at all,” Stone said.

“Are you ladies sure it’s okay for us to come inside?” Jacob asked. “This isn’t some kind of setup? Tonight has been too good to be true. We have partied all night with two lovely ladies and now we’re invited to your place.”

“You ladies don’t have any big bubbas waiting inside to jump us and take our money, do you?” Stone asked, cautiously.

“It’s up to you guys. Simone and I have our reservations too. We’ve never invited me back to my apartment after spending just a couple of hours with them. I don’t have anybody in my place waiting to jump you guys either. We were vibing at the club, and I wanted to keep the party going in a more settling atmosphere.”

The brothers looked at each other, but didn’t make any moves toward the apartment.

“I’m going inside. The invitation is open.” Kira headed toward the building and I followed her. The twins were two steps behind me.

For some strange reason, the guys didn’t intimidate me. They seemed like down-to-earth brothas who were out looking for a good time, which was the same thing Kira and I wanted.

The air was chilly when we walked in. Kira always leaves a window open so fresh air can circulate throughout the two-bedroom dwelling she calls home. Everything was organized and seemed to be in place. Her leopard décor could bring out the wild side of anyone who stepped into her domain. The brown-and-black spotted designs decorated throw pillows, picture frames and candles. Safari elephants, giraffes and warrior masks were displayed in her place.

“Fellas, relax and make yourselves comfortable.” Kira turned on lights, music and the television.

“Thank you. I will,” Stone replied. “Do you mind if I take off my shoes?”

“No, not at all. Now I can have my favorite drink. Would anyone like a shot of tequila?”

“Don’t be stingy with the invite. Bring the bottle over here, and let’s see who can take the most shots.” Jacob motioned for her to come to him.

“Dude, you have to give me a reason to take tequila shots. I’m a wine man myself. You have to make it worth my while for me to drink to-kill-ya,” Stone said, finding a cozy spot on the sofa.

Kira walked over to Jacob and in a seductive voice said, “How about this? The person who drinks the least amount of shots has to go into my bedroom with me and do whatever I want for the rest of the night. The other person will have the pleasure of being in the divine company of my girl Simone.”

I was speechless. Kira just put it out there. Just like that. I gave Stone the eye, suggesting he was the one I wanted to be with. He caught my hint and gave his brother the same look. “Okay,” Stone agreed.

Kira went into the kitchen. I was on the back of her heels and asked, “Do you need some help?”

Kira and I discussed our plans as I gathered four shot glasses. We came back with a large bottle of tequila, a bowl of limes and a container of margarita salt. We were like Survivor contestants up against a challenge. The tequila was our challenge and the twins were our reward.

“Who wants to go first?” I asked, passing out the glasses.

“I will. I want to get this over with.” Stone grabbed a piece of lime and squeezed it in his mouth.

“Stone, you’re supposed to drink the tequila first, then suck the lime.” Jacob laughed.

“Let me do this my way,” Stone said.

Everyone was silent when he raised his glass and gulped down his first shot. Jacob went next. This game went on for about three rounds. I could tell Stone was feeling the effects of the tequila. He was more relaxed, putting his hand on my knee. We declared Stone the winner, and Kira got up and popped in a DVD. I got up and removed our tequila mess from the table. She dimmed the lights leaning on Jacob, and I sat next to Stone. He pulled me close to him. The drinking had me lightheaded and extremely horny. We sat and watched the movie. Jacob and Kira were engaged in some serious lip locking. Their smacks grew loud, sounding like they were sucking on rib bones. Embarrassed by the echoes of their wet kisses, they tiptoed to Kira’s bedroom.

Stone and I were left alone. We were both out of our league with tequila, but Stone played the game strong so we could be together. We kept watching the movie. When the love scene grew intense, Stone started kissing me on my ear and neck. His gentle touch made me want to tear off his clothes. His cologne and his entire physique turned me on. I held him close and slid my tongue in his mouth. He welcomed my wetness, and we exchanged kisses. I could feel my body get warm. I was hot enough to give him third-degree burns between my thighs. Stone removed his shirt while we kissed. I was ready to take our foreplay to the next level. He sensed my anticipation, so he excused himself and asked me to point him in the direction of the bathroom. When he got up, I felt a sluggish reservation take over my body as I made an attempt to let out the sleeper sofa. I stayed at Kira’s a lot and knew how to operate the bed. I stumbled to the linen closet to get a set of sheets. I made my way back to the sofa and Stone returned to our play area for some physical contact.

“Do you need some help with that?” He asked, watching me struggle with the sheets.

“I think I can handle it.”

The sheets were tossed on the bed well enough for us to lie down. Stone seemed a little reluctant about this whole setup. I displayed the same reservations. When I was done arranging the sheets, he sat at the edge of the bed near the television. I planted myself next to him and whispered, “Where did we leave off?”

“I believe we were here.” He moved closer to me. The lights were low and the movie was still on. I was drunk and my body yearned for some physical comfort. We were into the moment when I realized I needed to introduce him to my protection that was conveniently in my purse.

“Stone, do you mind using this condom? This is soothing to me and feels natural to the touch.”

“I went to the bathroom to put on this one.” He removed his pants and his erect penis peeked through his boxers, and it was dressed with a condom. His shirt was resting on the chair next to a small table.

I didn’t trust his condom. What if he put something on it or put a hole at the tip to try and get me pregnant? What if I caught a disease? I was already taking a risk sleeping with him, but I still wanted to use my condom. His enthusiasm broke the tension.

I said, “Oh! You’re already prepared. But can we still use this one? I like the way it feels.”

“Simone, if that makes you comfortable, I’ll do it.”

I liked the way he said my name, subdued, yet deep. Stone removed his boxers and laid the condom on top of them, carefully sliding on the new one. I was checking out his body and growing wetter by the minute. I could barely keep my slumberous eyes open. When he was done putting on the new condom, he looked over at me and said, “Are you going to take your clothes off?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. Can you help me, please?”

He helped me take off my clothes and placed me under the sheets and crawled beside me. I rested my head on the pillow as he straddled me and we began to kiss. I spread my legs and reached for him. I may have been drunk, but I was still checking to see if he was wearing a condom. I introduced his penis to my warmth and we both moaned as we connected. There was no conversation. WE let our bodies do the talking. My head was light and my vagina swayed to his rhythm. Stone worked me like he knew exactly what I needed. He was in control sliding out of me a couple of times, but knew how to find his way back to my warm passion. I wanted Stone to taste every inch of me and he did without hesitation. He was smooth and knew how to please me. He was turned on and into the moment. We tossed and turned, making sounds together and then alone. I let my inhibitions take flight.

********

I felt embarrassed waking up with Stone, not knowing his birthday or anything about him. He turned toward me when he felt my touch. He looked startled at first. Then he gave me a smile, looking around, trying to remember where he was.

“Good morning.” I reached for the sheets that were scattered on the floor on my side of the bed.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“My head is pounding but feel good.” I wanted him to know that I did remember the entire animalistic journey we had taken together.

“I think I overextended myself with the tequila. I wanted to make sure we would be together, so I tried to drink more than my brother. I don’t have anything against your friend, but I was vibing with you the moment you smiled at me.”

“That’s sweet. I felt the same way,” I confessed.

“I hope I was worth every minute of your time.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed myself, but what we did last night was kind of crazy. I don’t want you to get the impression that Kira and I go out to clubs, pick up men, bring them back here and have a horizontal party every weekend. I really had a good time with you on the dance floor. When you held me, I didn’t want the night to end. I think I may have had one too many cocktails, but I knew what I was doing when we slept together,” I said.

The only thing I wanted to feel was his body close to mine. Stone wasn't that open about his life with me. He was a bit reserved when I asked him what he liked to do outside of work. I felt he had a dark side, but I just didn’t know him well enough to put my finger on it. Our attraction was strictly physical, and I didn't want to drain myself trying to unmask his mysterious side.

“My brother and I have never done anything like this before. In fact, we weren't going to come in the apartment last night, but there was something about you that reeled me in. What we did together last night was nice, and it never crossed my mind that you did this with every man you meet.”