The Secrets of Silk (14 page)

“I'll step aside,” Cephus reluctantly conceded.

The record ended and was followed by another slow song, James Brown's “Lost Someone,” a passionate love ballad in which Brown's pleading wail coaxed dance partners into rubbing their bodies together in shameless passion.

After Cephus retreated to the background, someone caught hold of Silk's arm. The tall, well-dressed, pretty boy didn't bother to ask if she wanted to dance, and Silk didn't protest when he drew her into his arms and began dancing, slow and sensually. They seemed to stand in one place with their bodies writhing while their feet hardly moved at all.

“Hey, beautiful. You must be new here because I'd remember a fine fox like you,” he said as he held her tight with his groin pressed against hers.

“Yeah, I'm new in town.”

“Where you from?”

“Louisiana.”

He let out a short whistle. “You're a long way from home. Say, are you one of those Geechie girls?”

Silk wrinkled her nose. “Geechies are from South Carolina and Georgia. I'm a Louisiana Creole.”

“Ain't Creoles and Geechies the same?”

“Uh-uh.” She shook her head.

“Geechies and Creoles know how to work roots on people, and from the looks of Cephus, over there, I'd bet you got him under some kind of voodoo spell.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Look at him, sitting at the bar, twiddling his thumbs while I got you wrapped up in my arms. He must be under a spell to let you out of his sight.”

Silk laughed again. She looked up and studied her dance partner's face. He was even better-looking than she'd thought. Handsome didn't begin to describe him. He was fine as hell, and almost as pretty as a girl. But the hardness in his eyes warned that only a sucker would mistake his good looks for being a pushover. His light-brown eyes, fringed by long, dark lashes, were mesmerizing.

“My name's Tate Simmons. What's yours?” he asked.

“Silk Moreaux.”

“Silk, huh? That's an unusual name, but I like it.” Caught up in the music, Tate closed his eyes and concentrated on their slow grind on the dance floor. His hands roamed freely over her back, waist, and hips.

Had any other man acted so familiar with her in a public place, Silk would have slapped his face or stuck him with her knife, depending on her mood. But she made no attempt to bat Tate's hand away when he stroked her hair and pushed it to the side. She involuntarily shivered when he pressed his soft lips against her neck and murmured, “You smell almost as good as you look. You got me strung out and I don't even know you. Do you feel what I'm feeling?”

She did. In fact, she was overwhelmed with the urge to devour his lips. But she refused to admit it. “I have no idea what you're feeling.”

Tate pulled her even closer. “You feel that?” he crudely asked, referring to the hard-on that felt like there was a piece of steel lodged inside his pants. “Don't tease me, baby. We both want the same thing,” he said knowingly.

Tate was right. She was drawn to him like a magnet, and wanted him in the worst way and her sudden, strong emotions bothered her tremendously. Silk had always used her looks and sexuality to exploit men, but the only thing she wanted from Tate was to stare into his piercing, light-brown eyes, kiss him until her lips hurt, and to surrender herself to that bolt of steel that was tucked inside his pants.

In Tate, she sensed a kindred spirit—someone she could confide all her deadly secrets and who wouldn't blink an eye. She had a feeling he'd be impressed about all the blood she'd shed.

And that's what scared her. Intuitively, she realized they were too much alike, and too much of the same thing couldn't be good. A voice in her head told her to break loose from him and join Cephus at the bar. Cephus could be wrapped around her little finger, but a man like Tate couldn't be manipulated or outsmarted. Fooling around with the likes of Tate was worse than playing with fire. As tempted as she was to lie down in the backseat of a car, a field, or an alley somewhere and spread her legs for him, her survival instincts kicked in, warning her that Tate was nothing but trouble and she should beware!

When the record stopped playing, Silk disentangled herself from his arms and left Tate standing alone as she fled in the direction of the bar. In addition to being spooked by the realization that she and Tate were both cut from the same cloth, she'd experienced an eerie feeling when he'd spoken about Creoles and Geechies working roots. Now, an image of Big Mama was swirling around in her head. In her mind, she could hear Big Mama warning her
that she wouldn't find any easy living up North if she didn't settle down and stick with one man. So far, Buddy was her best bet for easy living, and she'd be a fool to mess up the good thing she had.

“Hey, Silk. Where're you going?” Tate asked, sauntering toward her with a swagger she'd never seen on any Southern boys. Involuntary, Silk licked her lips. Tate sure was a tall glass of water, but her strong attraction to him was overpowered by the memory of Big Mama making strange motions with her hands as she put a hex on Silk. There wasn't anything more potent than a dying hex, and whatever Big Mama had put on her wasn't going to come off easily. She wondered if there were any conjure women in Chester or anywhere nearby. Someway, somehow, she had to get rid of Big Mama's spell.

“Thanks for the dance, but I'm in the doghouse with Cephus, and I gotta spend some time with my date. I'll catch you later.”

“When am I gonna see you again?” Tate asked.

“That's for me to know and you to find out,” she said sassily, and then walked away.

“Buy me another drink and then let's cut out of here,” she said to Cephus when she rejoined him at the bar.

Cephus beckoned the bartender. “Another drink for the lady.” He gazed at Silk. “For a minute, I thought Tate was gonna steal you away from me.”

She took a long swig from the drink the bartender placed in front of her. “Can't nobody steal something that doesn't belong to you,” Silk said with an edge in her voice

“I didn't mean to tick you off, Silk. But I can't help being jealous with all these hounds trying to get next to you.”

“Let me worry about the hounds. You worry about getting me back to Buddy's house, safe and sound.”

“I thought you were gonna swing by my place for a nightcap.”

“Some other time, Cephus. I've got a splitting headache, and I need to lie down.” Silk chugged down her drink and slid off the barstool. Cephus followed suit and escorted her out of the bar.

Once Silk was situated in the car, and Cephus was behind the wheel, he made one last attempt to win her over. “I noticed you like music, and if you're feeling better tomorrow night, I'd like to take you to a live show at the Uptown Theater in Philly. Jackie Wilson, The Contours, Ike and Tina Turner, and a lot of other good acts are on the bill. You'll love it.”

“I'd like to, but I can't.”

“Why not?” Sounding desperate, Cephus' voice went up a pitch.

“It wouldn't be right for me to be out traipsing around town on the night before Buddy's wife's funeral. Tomorrow night, Clara and Buddy are gonna need my help more than ever with the children.”

“You're right. You look so damn good, you got my head spinning, and I forgot about the funeral on Saturday. Maybe we can catch the next rock-and-roll show at the Uptown. They change the lineup every couple of weeks.”

She didn't commit to going to the show with Cephus. With all the sexual tension built up by her encounter with Tate, going on another date with Cephus was the last thing on her mind. She was feeling mighty frisky, and was anxious to get back to the house so she could jump on Buddy and ride him like a stallion, while pretending he was Tate.

T
he lights were out and the Dixon home was pitch-black when Cephus pulled up to the curb. To Silk's and Cephus' amazement, Buddy was sitting on the front porch with a bottle of liquor turned up to his mouth. They couldn't see his expression, but Silk sensed that Buddy was glaring at the two of them.

“Losing Ernestine is tearing Buddy's heart out. I think I should sit with my man for a spell, and have a drink with him,” Cephus volunteered.

“No, you go on home. Buddy doesn't need another drink. He needs to sober up for the children's sake. They need their father more than ever. I'm gonna coax that bottle out of his hand, make him some coffee, and encourage him to call it a night.”

“That's thoughtful and kind of you, Silk. You're a good woman.”

“I try,” Silk said, smiling as she imagined the good loving she was going to put on Buddy after she got rid of Cephus.

“Well, goodnight, Silk. I wish I could get a little kiss, but with Buddy sitting outside mourning the loss of his wife, I suppose it wouldn't be polite.”

“No, it wouldn't. Goodnight, Cephus.” Silk grabbed the door handle.

“You don't open doors when you're in the company of a gentleman. Hold on while I get out and open the door for you.”

“Don't bother,” she said, opening the passenger's door and quickly hopping out of the car. Cephus was doing everything in his power to prolong their time together, and Silk refused to go along with his silliness. She waved at him and briskly paced up the walkway toward Buddy.

Instead of driving off, Cephus sat in his Rambler with the motor idling. Silk looked over her shoulder and motioned for him to get going.

“I'll wait until you're inside the house, safe and sound,” he stubbornly replied.

Now, she was outraged, but managing to keep the fury out of her voice, she said sweetly, “Go on, now. I need to sit out here and talk with Buddy for a while.”

Reluctantly, Cephus drove off into the night. Silk sat next to Buddy. “How you doing, Buddy?”

“What do you care? You backstabbed me with someone I consider a friend, and had the nerve to do your dirt while dressed up in my wife's clothes. Now, that's a lot of gall.” Shaking his head, he took a swig of whiskey, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “One of the church ladies volunteered to look after the children, and so Clara's leaving on Monday. I think it's best if you join her; I'll pay for your bus ticket,” Buddy said sullenly.

“Buddy,” Silk said, touching his hand gently. “There's no reason to be upset with me. I told you that I only went out with Cephus as a front—to keep folks from getting suspicious about you and me. But I'm so crazy about you, Buddy, I made Cephus bring me home earlier than he intended. The whole time I was out with him, I couldn't keep my mind off you. Did you know that whenever I drink ice water, it's because I'm trying to cool myself off when my mind gets to wandering and thinking about you. I imagine your hands running all over my body. I imagine you sticking that big
ol' thing of yours inside my mouth and between my legs. You're the best lover I ever had, and I want to lie up under your strong body morning, noon, and night.”

Buddy put the bottle down, turned toward Silk and kissed her passionately. “I don't want you going out with Cephus ever again, do you understand me?” Anger flared in his dark eyes.

“I won't go out with him anymore.”

“It's hard having you under the same roof. Every time I look you, I want to strip your clothes off, and take you.” Buddy shook his head grimly, as if horrified by his carnal desire.

“Is that what you wanna do, right now?” Silk said in a sultry voice.

“You know I do.”

“Then, take me. I don't care who sees.” Silk began squeezing her breasts and licking her lips in a frenzy of sexual desire. “You make me so hot, Buddy. I need you to ram that big ol' thing inside me before I lose my mind.”

Buddy groaned her name as he held her tighter, kissing the side of her face and her neck with desperate kisses.

Speeding things along, Silk hitched up her dress. “I need you, Buddy.”

“Not out here. We can't risk getting caught,” he whispered huskily. He took Silk by the hand. “Let's get in the car.” He led her to his Oldsmobile that was parked in the driveway.

Moments later, the car rocked back and forth, and the windows steamed up quickly. For the first time, Silk and Buddy had privacy, and didn't have to be concerned about getting caught by Dallas. Secluded inside the confines of the car, she could be as loud, wild, and unruly as she wanted to be. Taking full advantage of their privacy, Silk cursed and used lewd words to express herself during the heat of the moment.

“I ain't never been with a wildcat like you before, and I can't get
enough of you,” Buddy admitted, reaching to pull his pants up after they'd finished.

“You can have me anytime you want if you make me your wife.”

“I thought we agreed to keep our affair a secret for at least a year.”

“No, I can't wait that long for you. I want to get married right away.” She reached downward, caressing his privates and lightly scratching his balls.