Page 35 of Chasing Church
I thought about it for a second then answered honestly. “More like I was runnin’ toward something. I don’t know. You met Shaunda and Joseph. I have two younger siblings—a brother and a baby sister. My parents are, . . . I don’t know, upstanding or what have you. My father is a Sumners, of course. He came from money. Never really knew struggle. My mother was a successful Avon lady. She was a top earner, making six figures in the 1990s. Plus, she was able to attend every school function, chaperone every class trip, and be home for dinner every night. We had a housekeeper. We took family vacations. We lived a very . . . cushy life. Lex was growing up the exact same way. So were most of my cousins and friends. It never seemed privileged to me. It was just life.
“Then I got to college, and all I saw from the people who looked like me was a struggle and hustle mentality. I was young and dumb as hell. Rather than appreciating the way I grew up, I started resenting it. I felt like I didn’t know real life. Like myparents had sheltered me too much. So I started chasing a life that I felt like would validate me.
“I moved around in my RV to prove to, . . . hell, I don’t know, somebody that I could make it without my parents’ money. I fucked all the time because taking down women was what men did. And even when the life I was living got old and repetitive, I just kept living that way. I’ve known for a minute that my life is out of order.” I paused. “But sometimes it’s easier to keep doing what you’re doing than it is to change. Even if what you’re doing isn’t doing a damn thing for you.”
Chapter 14
Church
“Why do you feel so fucking good?” He pounded into me relentlessly. We both moaned and groaned as our bodies moved in perfect sync.
“Ahh!” I panted, digging my nails into his shoulder blades. My heart pounded in my chest as he filled me up, his thick dick stretching me in ways I feared would have me addicted to him. The feeling of being underneath him was indescribable. Shudders of pleasure coursed through my entire body. The headboard creaked with every forceful thrust, threatening to go through the wall as he rammed into me.
His hands roamed over my body possessively, leaving trails of fire wherever they touched. I could feel the outline of his muscles flexing under my fingertips as I dug them into his shoulders again, urging him to go deeper still. My lips grazed his neck before sucking gently, earning myself a groan.
As he picked up pace, we became lost in one another. I held him tightly, his body almost flush against mine as his hips slammed into me, and our moans filled the room. The sensations were mind-blowing. His mouth found mine, and histongue danced between my lips, teasing and taunting me before biting on my bottom lip and pulling hard.
A warm rush coursed through me. We were so close to one another, breathing the same air. The missionary position was so intimate. I fought to pull my mouth away from his to yell out, “Yes!” My back arched off the bed. He was stroking just the right spot to send me over the edge.
And then I was there. Stars burst behind my eyelids, followed by waves of pleasure crashing over me. My legs trembled, and my limbs felt boneless. I grunted as he slowly pulled out, crawling down my body and licking my explosion from both my thighs and my vagina. His mouth was heaven, soothing my sensitive clit as he worked me slowly. He took his time with me, gently coaxing me back to a fever pitch. Before I even knew what was happening, I went over the edge in a dizzying climax, flooding his mouth with cream.
I foolishly thought he would give me the opportunity to gather myself, but the man was relentless. He coaxed me onto my stomach, hiked me up on all fours, and savagely reentered me. His hands gripped my hips, and he drove into me fast and repeatedly.
“Why are you doing me like this?” I questioned, my voice coming out like I was speaking into a fan or something.
His only response was to grab each of my breasts and squeeze the shit out of my nipples. My coochie involuntarily locked around his dick. My eyes slammed shut, and I came apart underneath him. Wave after wave of pleasure caused me to tremble violently as he groaned out his own release. Finally, he fell off me and onto the bed.
I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t even sure what to say. All I knew was that this man and his demon dick were trying to put me under some kind of spell.
“We gotta get up and get ready,” he told me after a little while.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere with you. We’re not even cool after the way you just tried to put me through the mattress.”
He chuckled. “Ain’t nobody try to put you through the mattress, lil’ mama. I was takin’ care of you.” He gathered me up in his arms. I was practically in his lap while he held me the same way someone would hold a baby. Then he proceeded to drop kisses all over my face. “I was takin’ care of you.”
I let him kiss me without resistance because the truth was that it felt good to be handled that way. It felt good to be held. “What are we doing today?”
“Heading to the District. Mari told Lex that she wants to go to D.C. for a tour of Sumners family haircare history. She wants to see where it all began—the former multi-acre campus for our offices and production factory, the building where we had our beauty school, everything.”
I sat straight up. “Ooh, I wanna see it, too.”
He laughed. “Let’s get up and get ready.”
A Few Weeks Later. . .
Taking the trip with Jones helped to solidify our connection. Once we got back to Jackson Falls, we were about each other. He was my man. I was his woman. As such, when it was time for the completed Humanity for Community house to be presented back to the owners, I was there for the celebration. Truth be told, almost the entire town of Jackson Falls and Chinook Woods turned out for the ribbon cutting. But I was there specifically to celebrate Jones’ accomplishment. He’d headed up his first full project, and he’d done an excellent job.
I stood with my family members: my mom, Bayliss, Mr. and Mrs. Strong, Bailey, and Brewer. Also there with us were Lex, Mari, Jones’ cousin Uzziah, and Uzziah’s wife. Since Bright’s company handled the project, he stood beside Jones with the microphone in his hand.
“First, I want to thank everybody for coming out on this chilly Saturday morning. Like most of you, I grew up in this community and was a student at Jackson Woods High School. Back then, Mr. McNulty didn’t have the title of Dean of Discipline, but as a dedicated P.E. teacher and coach, he operated in that capacity.” The crowd chuckled while the high school students yelled out catcalls. “When tragedy struck his family, I knew that I wanted to be of assistance. With the help of a generous grant from the cities of Jackson Falls and Chinook Woods, and with donations from the high school, the community, and a few major donors, . . . we were able to rebuild his home into a place where he and his family can continue to make new memories.” Bright went on to list the major donors and thank the volunteers. “Before I wrap up, I just want to thank the foreman on this job. He did a great job, working with the volunteers, keeping the project on budget financially, and even managed to bring the project to a close four days before the anticipated completion date. Please give it up for Jones Sumners.”
The crowd clapped for Jones while he stood there, looking bashful but handsome as hell.
“Without further ado, Dean McNulty and Mrs. McNulty, please come up here.” Bright waved them to the repaved driveway where he and Jones stood.
The overwhelmed looking couple made their way to the front. Bright’s assistant hustled out with a huge pair of scissors, which she handed to Dean McNulty.
“We present to you, your restored home,” Bright told him. “Please cut the ribbon.”
