Meta:Between the Books: Volume Twentyfour

Volume Twentyfour
Character(s)	Big Mike & Inez
Date	April 2005
After	The Forsaken
Before	The Wicked
Location	Los Angeles ...
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He heard her come down the hall and knew who it was before she even opened the bedroom door. Inez had an unmistakable footfall-quick and sassy. It was a sashay type of walk, even in her bare feet. The kind of saunter a woman with thick spread hips, meaty thighs, and a deliciously big behind has. But the scent she trailed with her into their suite made him open his eyes and struggle to sit up. Having a day off with Inez, no watch the house duty and no demon drama, was something special to be cherished, just like her.

"'Mornin', suga," he said in a rumbling murmur, a smile spreading across his face like slow molasses. "Where you go so fast before I got my first-light kiss?"

"Good morning, baby," Inez said softly with a smile. "I figured while Marlene and Shabazz had snuck out, I could sneak down into the kitchen and make you something you really wanted. not that bird food they always make us eat."

Mike sighed with pure contentment. "That's part of why I love you, girl." He was so worn out from the night before that it was all he could do to push his body further upright. Common sense told him that if she was gonna put the tray on his lap he had to straighten up so his back was against the pillows and headboard. Later. He'd do that in a minute. Right now, he liked looking at her from his current vantage point. Loved how her curves filled out that silk gown.

"Suga, what'd you go and do?" It was a rhetorical question. The scent of pancakes and bacon had nearly put him in a trance.

"It wasn't nothin'," she said, her voice a shy murmur delivered real low and sexy the way he loved to hear it.

She had an expression of pure mischief on her face and was teasing him with the mysteries on the tray, hanging back, way across that big ole room, taking her time to let him see what it was that's she'd surprised him with this morning. Aw, hell yeah, if she wanted to start some trouble this morning, his name began with a capital T.

"To me, your little bit-a nothin' is a whole lotta somethin', suga. you know how long I waited for you?"

"Aw. it didn't take me that long to fix this."

She began walking toward him slowly. He stopped her in her tracks with a hungry look. She bit her bottom lip, suddenly feeling what he'd meant.

"That' ain't what I was talking about. " He let his line of vision slide down her curvaceous body. "Lemme put it another way so you understand what I'm sayin'. you know how long I begged the good Lord for somebody like you?"

"Not half as long as I waited for you," she said quietly, hesitating with the tray outstretched while standing in the middle of the floor. "So doing this wasn't nothin' at all."

She glanced away and came forward, truly not understanding what he was getting at about her making breakfast meaning so much to him. It was the little things that meant the world, didn't she know? He'd learned that the hard way, by not having those little nothings for longer than he cared to remember. He'd definitely have to show her some 'preciation this morning. His gaze raked her, he couldn't help it; his baby was a blessin'. At this point in his life, after all he'd been through-sheeeit. he didn't take nothin' for granted, especially not a fine woman bringing him breakfast in bed.

Mike shook his head and ran a palm over his smooth scalp. Dang. Breakfast in bed? That woman was 'bout to make him get all choked up, if she didn't quit. Years had gone by where his only option had been cattin' in the streets with his ole buddy Rider. A couple of times it almost cost them their lives, even if they did have the time of their lives-fool's luck and the good Lord saved them. But to have a young, nubile, purty little thing like her take to his rusty ass and love his dirty drawers. have mercy. He knew what side his bread was buttered on, and would be grateful for every day he had her, yes Lawd.

Inspired, he sat up, slowly unfurling his sore muscles so he could accept her tray. But as he watched her move closer trailing deep purple silk, pretty lace plunged low in the cleavage. breakfast was becoming less important. He loved the way her body swayed under the semi-sheer fabric, a healthy woman-Inez was lush, made his hands ache to spread over her thick thighs and cushioned hips. the girl had meat on her bones. breasts that bounced when she walked. jiggled a bit, too. soft skin, dark chocolate brown with not a mark on it, uhmmph, uhmmmph, uhmmph, settin' off that sexy negligee she wore. If she turned around in it, slap him-and she'd brought him breakfast, too. Damn, he was gonna hurt himself up in here this morning.

"You gonna spoil me rotten, if you don't stop," he said, teasing her as she finally came to the side of the bed.

"Well, we're even 'cause you spoil me rotten," she replied with a sexy smile.

"I don't spoil you enough, is the problem." He let out a weary breath wishing he could just do more than their Guardian life allowed. There was so much he wanted to do for her, her Momma, and the baby. Inez had even made him a daddy by proxy, sharing her little Ayana with him, when he didn't never think he'd ever have no kids. "I need to start spoiling you real good, girl."

"You did last night," she said moving closer by degrees, her voice softer. "That's why I had to get up this morning and give you a kitchen standing ovation."

He laughed, pleased beyond her wildest imagination. "It did get a little bit ridiculous late last night, didn't it?"

The look on her face was about to start something crazy one mo' time. Now why'd she have to go close her pretty eyes and nod with a sigh. like they was remembering the same thought, locked in the same feelin'. Messin' 'round with a seer was an experience profound-that woman could mind-trip him on a mission in sense-around-sound.

"Uhmmmm, hmmm." she hummed, releasing her breath in a slow rush. "Ridiculous ain't the word."

Yeah, he had lost his nat'chel mind last night. wouldn't even let the girl go get a glass of water in peace. Just picked her up, still lodged deep, and walked her to the small fridge across the room, did a squat knee bend, then handed her a bottle.

She lowered the tray, watching his gaze travel over her breasts as she leaned down to set it on his lap-then stopped short, raising an eyebrow. "I think I need to set this on the nightstand."

He glanced down and chuckled. "Yeah. I guess so, suga, 'specially since you got a hot plate on there. See how you mess me up?"

She smiled wide, trying to fit the oversized tray onto the knotted pine furniture without knocking over the lamp or the alarm clock.

"Why don't you hand that to me," he said, chuckling, "and I'll put it between us on the bed."

She gave him the tray and folded her arms over her chest, watching him negotiate getting the huge tray next to him without spilling anything. Even though she was prepared to fuss, her voice got caught in her throat. Maybe it was the slow way he turned, balancing everything as though the smallest jerky motion would make the tray explode. same way he unfurled six feet eight inches worth of dark walnut majesty in the knotted pine sleigh bed they'd had to have custom made just to fit him. There was something so absolutely sexy about this man's slow, patient way of doing everything. Even the way a slow, dashing-white smile of perfect teeth spread across his dark, handsome face.

Captivated, all she could do for a moment was stand and watch him work on his breakfast, hugging herself. With Big Mike, everything was no hurry, just confident, methodical, make a sister crazy timing. and he spoke the same way, breathing out words, slow, melt in your ear-gasm kinda mess. He had no idea how flattered she was by his morning salute. Shooot, if making some pancakes had that reaction, she and Marlene would just have to rumble over what got made for breakfast, then!

"Now I know you didn't just cook for me. you eating, too, right?"

"Huh?"

His question broke her trance. She'd been standing there, watching the man's massive hands uncover the plates and dishes, her gaze washing over his naked, chocolate chest, brick by brick, trapped by his biceps, every straining cord of sinew in his forearms, back, and shoulders. those absolutely steel reinforced deltoids, and sitting there with an erection making a tent in the sheets that wouldn't quit. just smack her.

"You made all this stuff, girl, now come on back to bed and share it with me."

His slow smile and the way he tilted his head made her stomach do flip flops.

"I really just fixed for you. I can't eat like that all the time-I'm short. I ain't no six-eight. and besides, two-hundred-and-seventy-five pounds would not look cute on me. Got enough junk in my trunk."

He stopped uncovering dishes. "Says who?"

"Says me, man-go on and eat."

He patted the side of the bed. "I intend to. C'mon and be my company."

She sighed hard and rounded the bed then climbed up easy, careful not to topple anything on the tray. "You know I feel like its land of the giants in this room. Everything up in here is super-sized, Mike."

He chuckled and raised his eyebrows, and offered her a strip of bacon with his fingers.

She swatted his shoulder. "You know what I mean. I almost gotta stand on my tippy-toes to get stuff out of the medicine cabinet."

"I'll reach down whatever you want," he said, his eyes sliding shut. "Good God, girl. you made blueberry pancakes?"

Maybe it was the look on his face, the way his eyes crossed under his lids as he chewed, but seeing how much he enjoyed something she'd created made her self-conscious and she started talking a mile a minute.

"I got downstairs and saw the fruit-you know how Mar and 'Bazz always say we have to eat lots of fruit and stuff. so I figured, I'd compromise, since I was being bad by cooking this and-"

"You snuck out and smuggled in real butcher bacon, thick cut. this ain't out no pack," he murmured with his eyes half-mast. "And you hand-squeezed this orange juice, 'Nez-don't forget, I was in the Service, and I know from powder, from concentrate, from the can, from whatever, but girl you went all out."

"Yeah, well." she looked away, so pleased that it made her face warm. "I don't mind doing for somebody who really appreciates it like this."

"Oh, I appreciate it," he said, shoveling another forkful of pancakes into his mouth. "I'ma show you in a minute-but dang, you put your foot in this."

"Well, I didn't know if the grits on the side was gonna be too much, and I figured I'd just melt the butter down and pour it over the pancakes and in the grits, so that was one less thing on the tray. found this lady, while I was out, that bottles organic maple syrup-figured Marlene couldn't object. And the eggs was free range-"

"With cheddar cheese." he said, practically swooning. He looked at her and leaned over the tray, brushing her mouth with a sticky syrup kiss. "Com'ere and taste this good stuff, girl, before I inhale the whole tray." He put some pancakes on the fork and offered it to her and she took a small bite with a smile.

"I'm just glad you like it, that's all." She sat back against the pillows, needing a moment to get herself together. Just watching him eat had wet her drawers.

"You better stop being cute and getchu someathis, girl." He smiled a wider smile and sopped up some of the excess syrup on the plate with a thick wad of pancakes.

"I ain't never been cute in my life," she said with a sad chuckle. "And if I keep eating everything you pack away, I'll be as big as this house-so go-on and eat, man. Stop messing with me."

It was something in her tone that made him stop shoveling forkfuls into his mouth. The sad resonance just under the self-deprecating laughter, the tone that could easily be missed if one didn't have an attuned ear. But he'd heard it, and his baby had a heartache down inside her somewhere that ought not be there. It messed him up bad. a woman as beautiful as Inez should never have that tone in her voice.

He dropped the fork and she looked at him like he was crazy. His hand found her cheek and he lifted the tray up, scooted over and put it on his opposite side so that it was no longer a barrier. Then he dipped his thumb in the syrup and allowed it to drizzle across the sheets as he touched it to her mouth, not caring. The kiss he gave her was long and slow and sticky and good. When he pulled back, he let his tongue follow the sweet outline of her full lips.

"You my breakfast, 'Nez," he murmured, cradling her face. "You my hot melted butter poured over everything right here, girl, don't you know that?" His hand had found her thigh, the rough flatness of his palm sliding up her nightgown until he touched bare skin. "Lemme see if it's all way melted yet, or if I gotta put a little heat on it," he whispered, bending over further to kiss her hip and belly then slid her violet thong panties off.

He was rewarded by a soft moan as she leaned back against the thick pillows. Aw, yeah, she was melted down real good. the insides of her thighs were sopping wet, her skillet on fire. She smelled so good slow cookin' for him he was definitely ready to put his face in the plate.

"You're gonna spill the orange juice," she said, giggling.

He lifted his head, reached over, felt for the glass blind, and downed it, then set it on the nightstand, never taking his eyes off her. "Now where was I?"

She laughed softly, her mirth eroding as he sought her mouth and gently pulled her over to lie on her side facing him.

"Don't you know how pretty you are, girl?" he asked quietly. When she tried to look away, he captured her cheek with his palm. "Uh, uh. Don't do that, suga. I'm serious. Big Mike don't play that when it comes to my baby-you fine. Hear?" He kissed her eyelids and tasted tears and then pulled her up into a gentle hug. "Naw, girl, I don't know what you heard. and you know me, I'm a very basic kinda man. I don't have fancy words and whatnot, but I know food. so I'ma tell you what you are to me, okay?"

She sighed a contented sigh and kissed the underside of his huge jaw. "Mike. you don't have to-"

"Shush, I'm thinking. like when I gotta get the keys right on the boards." He looked down at her, allowing her micro-braids to fall through his fingers. "Uh, huh, just like sweet black licorice," he murmured, kissing her forehead, then eyes, then nose, and mouth. "You got the purtiest face. Semi-sweet chocolate-good God, yes," he whispered, his hand sweeping down her side causing them both to shudder as he moved down her body.

He nuzzled her breasts, his eyes sliding shut as he pulled a nipple between his lips and she arched, holding his arm. "Hershey Kisses." Then he found the other distended nub of flesh that needed care. "Naw. coffee beans, so hot and tastes so good. makes you want it just to smell it brewing in the morning. that's you, suga."

"Mike, you're making me crazy, baby. stop. I'm just-"

"My blessing," he said quietly, his hands sliding over her backside. "Don't block my blessin'" he whispered into her mouth. "Been waiting too long for it. Too long for you. Don't know what tomorrow will bring. So, if anybody told you wrong about yourself, you give it to me. Let me chew it up and swallow it for you this morning. let Big Mike make it be gone." His tongue probed her mouth until her tongue danced in heat with his, filling his throat with her moan.

He stopped for a moment, trying to steady himself. The effect she had on him was outrageous; she'd made him get so hard it felt like his skin was splitting. Her small, delicate hands were caressing his battle-hardened body, and every inch of her was soft, lush padding. The sound she'd released into his mouth, a deeper resonance than when he'd suckled her nipples, had really messed him up. Her loving him hard enough to bring him breakfast had already done him in, then he'd touched her wetness and knew she wanted some more, too.

Driven, he let his fingertips glide along her arm and then over the silky negligee fabric, causing gooseflesh as he bent his neck to kiss her lower.

"'Nez, baby, I swear your skin feels like smooth, butter cream icing on red velvet cake. homemade," he whispered against the underside of her breast, nuzzling beneath the heavy lobe to kiss her torso, once he could endure beginning again.

If she only could see what he saw. and that was supposed to be her gift-second sight. He gently rolled her over onto her back, careful not to put his full weight on her much-smaller frame while spilling long, slow kisses down her side. "Ribs," he murmured making her chuckle and then gasp. "Meat just falling off the bone."

His wide palm kneaded her backside while he kissed her waist and rubbed his face against her stomach. "Buttermilk biscuits, sopping with gravy, Uh huh, You know what I like, suga. it's all you."

By the time he'd worked his way down her legs, she was breathing in shallow pants. The sheets were in her fists when he slid the purple silk up her thighs and found that place he'd abandoned earlier.

"Now, right here," he murmured, sending a warm stream of air against her with every word, "is that hot melted butter you pour over everything I got, baby. right here's the thing I gotta have with my biscuits," he said, kissing her sweet spot long and slow. "And with my grits," he said in a near gasp, opening her with his tongue. "And My pancakes," he murmured, his hands sliding under her bottom to spread her wider. "Lawd, help me. Just let it melt all over Big Mike this morning, baby. I love how you cook."

The man was out of his mind, driving her out of hers. He was saying stuff that had messed her up so bad, just from his words, that everything else he was doing was gonna make her have a heart attack. He'd already made her cry out with no shame, consuming her with care at his maddening leisure. his tongue and lips in no particular hurry as they meandered and found hidden folds within folds that secreted away pleasure. He'd pulled juices from her just like bees dredge pollen from plants, down to the nectar, rising her up off the mattress, making her open wider, turning into every caress so he didn't miss a drop.

"I ain't gonna leave nothin' for tomorrow, gonna sop it up real good and lick the plate," he said, following through on his promise. "You just tell me if that's all right with you."

Her voice spiraled up from where he licked all way through her body, and then up and out of her throat on a hard arch. "Yes. get it all!"

Spent, she could barely lift her head when he came up for air. But she knew he hadn't even begun the morning. it was all in the way he looked up, slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his huge forearm, his eyes never leaving hers, his chest dragging air in and out. tiny beads of sweat had formed on his gleaming scalp. Oooohhhh. she was in trouble.

She couldn't move as she watched him slowly push himself up on his hands and knees. It was like watching a dark mountain rise in the bed above her, and the agonized look in his eyes always drew her to lean forward and take his mouth. This morning was no different. Her mouth hungered for his, just as her body craved his, but she also knew why he took his time, moving with methodical care. If he ever lost his mind complete and true, he could hurt her. The dimensions of this man made no kinda sense at all.

Her pungent nectar was on his face and in his kiss mixed with sweet blueberry confection and maple bacon as she savored his mouth. She had to touch him-as much of him as she could; her palms craved the warm, smooth contact till they ached. Damn her short arms, she wanted to touch his tight ass, just run her hands over the steel cable in it, but she couldn't reach and almost begged him to turn around. Instead her hands swept down his concrete slab chest, and as she brought her fingertips over his nipples, he broke the kiss, turned his face from hers, and pulled in a slow inhale through his teeth.

Just seeing him that messed up, messed her up. New hot liquid spilled from her body. She knew her man, like her, he was way past gone. His grip had tightened on her hip, his stomach pulling in a hard contraction as her calves slid up his tree trunk thighs and her palms spread out across his stomach. The sound he released when she captured him with both hands seemed to implode in his chest and travel through his nose. His eyelids fluttered as he dropped his head and moved against her touch, almost seeming unable to wait for her to guide him into her. Then he hesitated a moment, as though suddenly remembering how disastrous thrusting his full weight and outrageous dimension against her could be if he lost reason. But this morning, after he'd nursed her mind and spirit, and turned her body out, she didn't want him to have to suffer the wait.

Reluctantly she let him go so she could scoot up to take his mouth, then turned over under his body bridge, balancing on her hands and knees while glancing over her shoulder. It was the only way, if he was this far gone. She had enough padding in the rear to reduce his depth perception by four to five inches-she wasn't crazy. Fourteen inches wasn't no joke. Riding him when he was this wild in the eye was out of the question, too. One hard pull up and she'd land in the emergency room. A sister had to be real.

"'Nez, this mornin', suga."

"I know," she whispered, reaching back to hold him tight. She knew he'd wanted to love her face to face, but he could only endure being half inside her, short stroking, when he was in his clear and present mind. This morning was not such a morning. Not after all the trash he'd talked, they were both too far gone for that. She was almost ready to lose it herself, halfway ready to holla with tears forming from nowhere. "Just put it in."

His massive forearm instantly locked around her waist, his breaths hard, staccato, against her hair. Then he entered her slow, moving like an eighteen-wheeler backing up on a busy street-careful, steady, but making progress in torturous increments. Near seam-splitting width sent instant pleasure contractions from rim to rim, making her blood pressure spike colors behind her lids, making her slap the sheets, the first solid thrust making her call on Jesus.

Head thrown back, mouth open wide-that spot, that spot, that way, way deep down spot that no one else but him could reach, making her stupid, buck wild holla. every sound she released starting the call and response at the tribal level, taking her man from ship to shore, back on home to his Mississippi Delta, sweating in her delta, adding new meaning to the chitterlin' circuit. it was all in the hips, rotation of a sister's broke-back swerve, the kind of thing that made her Big Mike stutter, snapped her name in half-pop-just like summer snap beans on a Georgia wooden porch. Yeah, baby, sop that up with pan-made gravy-been cookin' overnight in a Crock Pot for ya, lover.

Dishes were falling; there was syrup in the bed. A salt and pepper shaker had rolled by his feet. Grits were in the rug. Eggs and bacon lost over the side to the floor. He didn't care, as long as her thick, smooth ass moved against him like it did. Every stroke, her breasts swept and bobbed against his arm-she better never lose that big, juicy butt. fine-azz woman must be crazy, making him insane, got a butter knife cutting his knee but can't even worry about it-not with a hot knife sizzling in her butter and pulsing between his legs.

"Have mercy, woman, don't you know you my favorite meal of the day. don't gotta do nothing but cook this up right, serve it jus' like this, suga-over easy."

She couldn't talk shit, could barely breathe. Sweat rolled off him onto her, creating a glistening smack-slide sound that made him crazier. She knew what it was, the sound-the wetter she got, every time he'd made her cum, the squish, the slick-slap made him turn his head to the side, put that pained expression on his face-that between agony and heaven look that knit his brow and made him breathe through his mouth in time with each stroke. His arms were trembling from it, almost flattening her to get it and get it good.

When she called him by name, not a shriek, but a low gasping whisper because it was so damned good, the convulsion he caused pulling everything up and out of her in slow motion, he snapped. She could feel it from the inside out, the deep releasing groan that seemed like she'd been dropped off the edge of a cliff, her stomach in flutters, his forearm dragging her against him in pulsing waves. her name fractured into a please baby sound before bottoming out on just plain 'Nez.

His hot face was against her hair and she could tell by his exhausted breathing that he needed to drop and roll over. She was practically delirious, but didn't want to be crushed. Slowly, she tried to extricate herself, but he tensed.

"Don't take it out," he whispered harshly against her hair. "Not yet, suga."

She nodded, gulping air, not sure how much longer she could keep herself up on her hands and knees. Then ever so slowly he began the sweet. excruciating. extraction that always made her eyes cross. She dropped without formality or apology, just crashed. He weaved a bit, slowly closed his eyes, and went down on his side like a felled California Redwood.

"We really messed up this bed," she said chuckling after a moment, snuggling against him. It felt like she was tucked away in the safest place in the whole wide world, in a warm, dark forest beside a huge a bear. Her bear. "And we messed up the floor."

"Uh, huh, yeah, we did," he murmured between heavy breaths, stroking her stomach absently. "Maybe. if I live till then, we can mess it all up again for lunch, if you fix something real good like you just did." He kissed the back of her head. "Uhmph, girl, you put your foot in that."

Trivia

• This volume was first posted to the official website in August 2006.

References

	Edits to this page before January 1, 2021 use CC-BY-SA-licensed content from the Fandom Vampire Huntress Legend Series Wiki.