Chocolate - Part 6
Email - Stoney4mark@excite.com
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Morning arrived with a vengeance
Calvin was completing his first week working for Bank of America. Day after day he would get off the train at Penn and walk through the plaza by himself to get to work.
Logan called him every day; once to congratulate him on his new job, and suggested getting together for lunch; but that never happened. The other times were just to talk like co-workers, lacking a personal touch.
Calvin, was devoted to his instincts, and chalked it up to poor timing and their work schedules. He was a bit concerned that Logan didn't mention getting together. This is where his instincts kicked in. On his last day at work, just before the lunch hour he received a text from Logan
"Horrible week of pressure, can you do lunch at 1:00?" Logan wrote.
At the time, Calvin was helping a bank customer discussing a mortgage loan, so he had to ignore it.
It was 1:00 o'clock when Calvin finally read the text and replied.
"I just read your text"
"It's too late, huh?" Logan wrote
"Yup, too late," Calvin replied and went back to work.
A few minutes later he turned his phone back on and cautioned his actions mentally. "Geeze, he thought, stop acting like an imp and leave the damn phone alone." He wasn't trying to be an uppity black; he simply suspected that he was being ignored. To Calvin that sort of behavior is game playing, and he wasn't interested twink games.
At quitting time, Logan was waiting for Calvin outside, next to the door and leaning against the building.
Calvin spotted him and although he had troubled feelings, he hid them well and decided to play this down-right ridiculous game.
"Hey man, what are you doin here, don't you work until 5:00pm?" Calvin asked
"I left early, I had to see you."
"It's good seeing you too." Calvin said being friendly but not terribly excited.
"You're pissed, aren't you?" Logan said
"Me pissed – for what?" Cal replied
"Look man, I'm so good at reading people it's scary, something is not right, but let me explain.
"All week we have had auditors and the IRS working in the office with a fine tooth comb. They have been going over everything. I mean everything. If something was written on paper, they had to see it. Not even the cobwebs were safe from scrutiny.
I couldn't get away for lunches and had no free time, that's why I haven't been around and my emails were nothing but quick `run of the mill' talk. I was going to explain at lunch today, but you couldn't make it."
"You don't have to explain your week." Said Cal
"Apparently I do," Logan commented."
"No, apparently you don't. How did the audit go? We bankers tend to be a bit nosey," Calvin said changing the subject.
"Good, everything is in decent shape," Logan answered
"Cool"
"It's more than cool, the pressure is off and I can be myself again." Said Logan
"It works for me," said Calvin and started to walk away
"Wait – cried out Logan, where are you going?"
"125th street" replied Cal
"Wait, can I come?" asked Logan sounding hurt
"To Harlem? – You want to go to Harlem?
"I will if I have too."
There were two young women just getting up from a bench on the concourse, so Calvin stopped walking and plunked himself down. Logan immediately was beside him.
"Hello stranger, said Logan. I work here at Penn Plaza and my boyfriend is missing. He's a tall good looking black dude, with a mustache and short cropped beard. He has a sparkling personality, sexy as hell with a body to match. You wouldn't by chance happen to have seen him?"
"You're fuckin nuts. Did you say your boyfriend?" said Calvin trying to keep a straight face and loving every minute of it.
"Yeah, I did, but it's not easy convincing him of that."
"I see, and you say he's black, than you should know how niggas are when it comes to boyfriends."
"How's that,
"Tell `em man, you gotta tell him. Try something simple like a flower; a dumb flower can sometimes work wonders. Other times it takes a floor plant," said Cal bursting out in laughter, OMG this is too funny, you don't know squat about people."
"He's a guy, what would flowers accomplish, for a gay guy?" asked Logan being serious.
"If you don't know the difference, than I'm afraid I can't help you."
"Stay right here – don't leave, I have to find a florist."
"Oh, stop it." Calvin said "I'm playing with you,"
Logan put his hand over Calvin's hand and they stopped talking and sat there for about a minute that felt more like eternity.
"Are you okay?" Asked Logan
"Sure, I'm aware of what's real."
Logan didn't say another word. He could sense Calvin's insecurity, and felt it may be directed at him. If Calvin thought Logan wasn't real, he had to fix that immediately.
"I am catching that train," said Calvin finally getting up from the bench.
"So am I, you're not going without me." Said Logan
"It's Harlem"
"I don't care if it's Saturn." Said Logan "What's so special about Harlem?"
"Oh, fuck it, c'mon," said Cal and they went from Penn station uptown to Harlem. Logan was content being with Cal and it didn't matter where it happen to be.
Harlem wasn't new to Logan anyway. He had been there several times to the Apollo and to Amy Ruth's soul food restaurant on 116th street. This was however, the first time he walked the streets Of Harlem with a black soul brother.
There was music, and the sound of people talking inside, when Calvin opened the door to Cousin Lawrence's crib. James and five other black dudes, all men, were drinking, listening to music, eating and smoking. Only two people were smoking the others were drinking and shoving down food.
"Come in – come in, close the damn door, "said Lawrence.
They stepped into the room and Calvin started to introduce Logan
His cousin Lawrence interrupted. "Wait! Don't tell me, this fine young thing is Logan."
"That's me all day," Replied Logan
"I can tell that." I'm Lawrence, crazy Cal's main cousin."
"And I can tell that, good to meet you," said Logan
"The brothers here for some festivity are my bros," Said Lawrence. He pointed going around the room. That is Joseph, Marcel, Harris, Roderick and the nigga coming from the kitchen is Terrell.
"Terrell, this is Logan" said Lawrence
"Indeed it is; man you can catch a few rays, on my deck anytime," said Terrell.
"Works for me," replied Logan
"I don't think so," piped in Calvin who was quiet until now.
It was only minutes before Logan was the center of attention. He liked everybody and they like him. Harris brought him a drink, Roderick told him where the food was in the kitchen, and Joseph offered him some weed, which he refused. He didn't smoke cigarettes or dope and that was cool.
Calvin's cousin Lawrence sat close to Logan and they chatted together like no one else was in the room. Cal watched everything, including Lawrence starring at Logan's crotch. He said nothing because Logan was there. Otherwise, he would be running his mouth, and most likely starting an argument. Lawrence was watching Logan's dick shift every so often, like a sleeping frog in his crotch. One didn't have to be a mind reader to know what he was after.
Out of the blue, but carefully planned, Calvin said to Logan. "Don't forget we have dinner reservations."
"That's right, and we should get moving." Logan said, adding to the fabrication.
"Logan began shaking hands and getting a little squeeze here and there. Lawrence touched his butt and said "come back anytime; maybe I should call you"
"Maybe you shouldn't," said Calvin.
Lawrence laughed and gave Calvin a brotherly hug. "I guess I'm just captain obvious," he said
It was amazing how fast Calvin got Logan back to the street.
"So we have dinner reservations?" said Logan, rather coyly and raising one eyebrow.
"That was for you, I thought you wanted to get out of there. I didn't know that Lawrence had company, especially those vultures."
"They were cool" said Logan
"A-huh"
"Seriously, Terrell is a good looking bro with a cushion butt." Logan added
"A-huh" Calvin said again
"Your cousin, the dude Lawrence, is hot chocolate too" said Logan."
"A-huh," but he's not hot. He gives good head, but hot – no, no, no, don't think so."
"Is that all you can say - A-huh? "OMG you're jealous. You care, and that's all I want, is for you to care." Said Logan
"Where are we going?" asked Calvin, not commenting on the jealous remark.
"It doesn't matter where we go, you decide. I'll go anywhere" said Logan touching Cal's arm.
"Of course I care," Calvin finally admitted
"A-huh, said Logan imitating Cal's way of commenting. Logan wanted to kiss Cal so badly that he started getting aroused. They were on the street, so that wasn't such a hot idea. However, he did it anyway. It was quick, on the cheek and lacked passion, but sincere and Calvin knew it.
"I guess I'm a piece of ass that you can depend on" said Calvin
"That's not cool saying you are a piece of ass"
"Yeah, I know," said Calvin, but it does have a nice sound to it."
The subway doors slid open and they sat across from one another. Calvin finally moved next to Logan, as more people came in looking for seats.
"Where do you want to have dinner?" he asked
"You decide, but I am paying," said Logan
"I'm afraid you will have to, I don't get paid until tomorrow, although we can use my visa card."
"Nope" said Logan, we'll use mine.
Walking through Times Square underground, Logan stopped and bought a sprig of lily of the valley, with a pin, from a flower vender and pinned it to Calvin's shirt.
"OMG" said Calvin
"I was told to do that, just this afternoon."
"Solid advice," said Calvin
"Yup, I think so," replied Logan straightening the flower on Cal's shirt.
It was important for them to enjoy each other's company out of bed as well as in. From Delaware and North Carolina, to the sidewalks of New York, their casual meeting created a budding relationship sexually rewarding. They feared not, the desires inside them growing by leaps and bounds. Calvin worked at what he did best, and Logan exhausted a multitude of sexual moves. For them, it was perfect.
Email - Stoney4mark@excite.com
Part 7
Black and White together