Her Play Toy

I woke up alone!  Considering that this was Mercedes's brothers place....It was very unlikely that she had left and left me here....

To my surprise...She hadn't...I slipped on my boxers and then my trousers and walked down the stairs.. Mercedes was fixing breakfast....I couldn't believe my eyes...

Pancakes, Sausage and a pot of coffee...She looked up at me and smiled..

"So you finally woke up eh sleepy head?" she said.

"I thought you would have awakened me by now and told me I had to leave." I said...

"No.....I'm trying to do better...Why won't you let me?" she said.

"Okay..Okay..." I laughed...

She walked  past me to the bedroom where she took the sheets and pillow cases off of the bed as well as some wet towels and bathrags and walked them downstairs where she deposited them in the washing machine...

She was fully dressed and had apparently showered....

"Sit down and have some breakfast..." she said as the washing machine filled up and she added detergent...

I didn't protest..I sat down at the table and she joined me and we ate a delicious breakfast and drank coffee and orange juice...I was silent the entire meal...

After we were finished , I washed and dried the dishes...Still not saying much..

"You are pretty quiet this morning." she said.

"I suppose I won't see you again until.....whenever right?" I asked.

She looked at me...

''We had a nice night didn't we Nicky? Don't spoil it." she asked.

"Yeah it was great....I'd like to have nights like this more often...You could come over my place." I said.

"That's a possibility....But I'm gonna be busy for awhile.." she said.

"Can I call you?" I asked.

"Of course...Anytime you want." she said.

''So...I guess we are still friends with benefits huh?" I asked...

"Nicky....Give me time okay?  I may come around....But this works out well for both of us...No stress, no strings attached. You can do your thing and I can do mine." she said.

''Mercedes ,What are you afraid of? What people will say because you're older than me?" I asked.

I originally thought she was about four or five years older than me...I saw her drivers license and discovered that she was only 13 months older...that was a little over a year...Everybody knew that she had been my training officer....I suppose this wasn't a good look for her professionally.

''Nooo..I don't care what people say...Besides,it's only like a year...Nobody cares about a year...We are practically the same age." she said.  I didn't believe that.

"Then let's get serious?" I said.

"I'm not ready to go there yet." she said.

"Is there someone else?" I asked.

"No...." she said.

"Then what's the problem?  I like you....I know you like me" I said.

''Oh do you now?" she laughed.

I slammed my knife and fork down...

"Relax..Relax" she said laughing and gave me a kiss in the lips...

"I like you okay? Nicky, you're my friend...And you should consider yourself honored...You're the only "friend" I have that has gotten this far." she said.

"Oh Gee...All I am is a Booty Call for you aint I?" I said with mock sarcasm.

"You got to calm it down Nicky....That's why I don't get with you but ever so often...You get soo emotional and caught up...I'm really not all that you think I am." she said.

"You know Mercedes....I'm beginning to think that maybe you're right." I said.

"That wasn't very nice." she said.

"Hey, you said it...Not I." I countered. I didn't say anything else.

I got up and slipped on my shirt and my shoes....

''What? You're mad now swinga?" she asked curling her lips seductively....

''Nah..I aint mad...Just tired...I been up all night with you...I'm goin and crash in my own bed." I lied.

"Don't be like that swinga!" she said...

''Swinga" was some kind of pet name she had for me... She usually called me that when she was trying to seduce or otherwise manipulate me...It wasn't working today and I think she knew it!

"Goodbye Mercedes.Thanks for Breakfast." I said and waved as I walked out the door...I probably wouldn't see her for another three months.

I went to the gym and rode the bike for an hour...then I did some exercises and showered and then went to my home and crashed...

II-

To my surprise...That night...Bone Hampton joined Reed Nelson and his quintet at the club.....He must've come into town that night...

Wow! Bone Hampton, Reed Nelson and 88...All on the same floor with his new band...

The house was cooking tonight...And in addition to them...A Salsa band was set to perform during the break..

During the break....Reed Nelson spotted me and walked over to where I was sitting...

''Nicky, my man..Let me buy you a drink...Looks like you had the hot hand last night..." he laughed...

"Oh you mean Mercedes? Yeah...We went to her brothers loft...He's a big time boxer in this town.." I said.

''Who is her brother?" asked Reed..

"Ernesto Rodriguez" I said.

''The Boxer? Yeah I've heard of him...I've seen him fight..That's her brother?? Wow you better be careful" laughed Reed Nelson..

''Me and him are cool." I said.

"So you uh went to the brothers loft...He wasn't home was he?" asked Reed.

''No...in fact , he's in Philly preparing for a big fight." I said.

"So you two had the whole spot to yourself huh? You got some booottayyy last night huh?" laughed Reed...

I smiled...

"Yeah, I got it....She even fixed breakfast for me this morning.....and I won't see her again for another three months...She says we are just friends with benefits...." I said.

"And you want more right? You ought to tell her that." said Reed..

"I have..I have...but she only calls me when she is horny..She's almost like a guy..." I said.

Reed laughed....

He picked up his trumpet.....

"I'm gettin ready to play my second set....Listen Nicky....Only way to end that cycle is to stop playing her game...She uses you like a play toy because she can, because you let her...You can't get played, if you refuse to play...Just remember that kid." he said and patted me on the back...

"Bar tender...his drink is on me." he said and rejoined his band back on stage for their second set...

(TO BE CONTINUED)