Black Historical Romance 1940s Ch. 01

So she dressed in her cutest little A-line dress, her saddle shoes, and her polo shirt. She'd learned to compliment the rich chocolate complexion she was blessed with using the slightest amount of tasteful makeup, and painted her lips a deep crimson that she thought would compliment her skin tone. She borrowed her father's buick for the occasion. Her father had no problems with her borrowing the family automobile now that she was making so much money in the club, as long as he had no plans, and she topped the tank off full.

She also paid careful attention to what she was putting in the picnic basket. She'd fried some chicken, and made some potato salad and biscuits. Thelma's mother had taught her the way around the kitchen since she was a very young girl. And while Thelma relished her independence, and didn't have the normal ambition of getting married and raising a family that most women were already doing by nineteen, she was proud of her accomplished cooking. She thought it might impress Grant in some way. She'd taken to calling him GW. And he seemed to like it. He chuckled immensely when she called him "GW".

When she finally made it to the golf course, she put the car in park, and she was startled when she went over to the passenger's side to retrieve the golf clubs, and the picnic basket.

"I couldn't let you carry all those heavy things yourself. I've got the clubs and the basket. Looks like you've got quite a spread there," added GW.

And my, was he handsome. He had on crisp beige slacks, brown belt with a GW monogram, white golf shirt and saddle shoes. He'd parted his wavy soft light brown hair down the middle and slicked it down with lots of pomade. He was trying to imitate the hairstyles that were worn by those with coarser hair, and this served to highlight how soft his hair was, and how delicate his facial features were. His beige face, very chiseled, and a nice compliment to his greenish gray eyes, his reddish brown eyelashes so long they looked like they belonged to a girl. Though his features were neat, his lips were full and sexy, complimented by the prefect clef in his chin.

The dim lighting in the club hadn't done him justice. He was too sexy for words, broad shoulders and hands clutching at the items so that she didn't have to struggle.

"Well it was just a little something I fixed up. I think I'm pretty handy in the kitchen, but I'll let you be the judge. You're going to work up quite an appetite playing with me. I'm good," she said as he escorted her to the golf cart.

She was already prepared for his retort. Golf was a man's game, and most men didn't think she would be any good until she showed them otherwise.

"Sure I'll bet you're good. Well you at least look the part. Really cute. Adorable even. You look like a little golfer. But looking like a golfer, and playing golf, well those are two different things," he added placing one finger under her chin, trying to deliberately bring her gaze towards him.

His touch of her chin made her tingle with pleasure and she felt herself drawn into his gaze as though it was a current. But while he made her feel the butterflies she was also very competitive and a rougish tease, and so she said...

"Well GW, I know you are a regular old Money Bags, so why don't you put your money where your mouth is. What's your top score," she asked.

"one-hundred," he added.

"Are you serious? I can golf an eighty, which I'm sure you know is way better. Whoever plays the best game owes the other 10 bucks," she said pulling a cigarette out of her purse, striking the match and taking a long puff.

"Ha, Thelma you are on. First off I don't believe you can golf an eighty. And second, I think it's cute you play golf and gamble and just...you're just a tomboy. I love it. It's adorable," he said grinning enthusiastically.

***

After the game was over, Thelma had golfed a 90, whereas he'd golfed a 110, which was one of the worse games he'd ever played. Granted, he'd been distracted by her. She was so cute when she would lean over, waddle her shapely little physique and assume the golfing position. Also, he couldn't see her legs in her evening gown those first two nights, but he could see her legs in that A-line skirt, and they were amazing. And all the more intriguing was her beautiful deep cocoa complexion. He wanted to get lost in her skin and wondered what she tasted like. So he'd pretty much blown it, ogling at her. On the other hand, she'd used this to her advantage to win the game. That was how he saw it. She knew he was watching how she thrusted out her rear to line up the shot and she did it on purpose.

"Cheer up money bags. Surely you've lost more money than ten bucks before. That ten bucks was really going to hurt me if I lost it," she added chuckling, running through another cigarette.

"I have lost more money than ten dollars, but really, what you've hurt Thelma is my pride. And...well...you knew what you were doing. Being all cute and stuff...I was distracted," he said rubbing his chin.

They were now spread out on a picnic blanket about to devour the lunch that Thelma had packed.

"Well thank you for the compliment, but I did win fair and square, so you may as well pay up," she said emphatically exhaling a cloud of smoke.

He gently slipped his arm around her waist.

"I'd like to pay my debt back to you in another way," he whispered, pulling her close to him, and it wasn't hard, she couldn't weigh but ninety pounds, so that her lips were but a breath away from his own.

***

When GW pulled her close like that, she was unnerved. He smelled like old spice, aftershave, cigarettes, and butterscotch candies.

She was so close to him she could feel him breathing. She smoke, drank, cursed, gambled to beat the band, sang her heart out, but she'd never done this. Never kissed another person romantically before.

She closed her eyes, it seemed natural to do this, and she felt the warmth flooding her lips as soon as he pressed his firm, shapely lips to her own. He cupped her cheek, as though he wanted to seal her lips further to his own. Then he began to twirl his head just a little as though he was searching, trying to find the arch where she would open her lips. She may be naive to kissing but it was fairly easy to figure out what he was doing. Suddenly though, her lack of experience rendered her shy, and she broke of the kiss, turning her face away from his own, giving him her cheek instead.

"It was just starting to get really wonderful Thelma. Why do you let me get so close to you and then pull away, I like you so much," he added.

He truly looked in that instant like a wounded little boy instead of a twenty-five year old man. This vulnerability made her feel close to him, and able to confide in him.

"I like you too Grant. Too much really," she added softly, shyly.

"Why, what is it? What's wrong with that? I know you are shy. I won't hurt your feelings. I promise, if that's what you're so afraid of," he added softly. He took her hand, and kissed her knuckle.

Things were moving fast and heady. She'd never been kissed, and it wasn't so much that she was saving her kiss for someone special so much as she didn't want to look foolish and naive. She'd done so much growing up too fast in the last few years, but it was not hard to remember what it was like back when she'd been a shy, nervous wreck. She wasn't much to look at, very homely, horned rimmed glasses and a smile with ever tooth in her mouth looking like they were having fights with each other. Then she'd met Marlinda, who taught her how to fix her face and apply makeup.

Once Marlinda heard Thelma sing she was astonished at the beauty of her voice, she introduced her to her cousin, who eventually became Thelma's bass payer. Marlinda had given her that first cigarette, and her first nip of liquor. Then Thelma started playing regular club dates and, the glasses were discarded. And soon there was money to see the only colored Dentist in town and get shiny new white caps to fix the crooked teeth.

Her profile in the neighborhood had risen. She was now cool, a part of the jet set, smoking, drinking, clubbing, experimenting with refer sometimes, and now she found herself often being flirted with by young suitors. She wasn't a fool, and knew she was ugly before, and that the cosmetic improvements, along with a figure that was beginning to take on a very feminine flare with curves in the right places though she was rather slender, was now rendering her good looking. However, because the boys in her neighborhood had treated her so unkindly when she was an ugly duckling, she held a huge chip on her shoulder, now that those very same men were friendly, opening doors for her, and trying to take her out on dates, and talk to her.

She remembered when she was "homely Thelma." So it was difficult for her to imagine someone loving her for who she really was, and not just because she sang like a thrush, and had turned cute almost literally overnight, with the help of mother nature, and some dental treatments.

"I...GW...Grant, there's something I must tell you," added Thelma softly.

"What? What is it? Christ you aren't married are you? Engaged? Boyfriend? You should have said something sooner," he said narrowing his eyes slighty.

"Oh no way. I just...Grant, I've never been kissed before, is all," said Thelma.

Grant began to chuckle.

"That's a good one Thelma. Really," he added laughing some more squeezing her hand.

"No I'm really serious," said Thelma freeing her hand from his own.

"Come on Thelma. I don't want to play games with you. I find it hard to believe that a dame as cute as you has never been kissed," said Grant, and he actually turned away from her as though he was offended.

"Well I'm flattered, but I'm telling you the truth. I...Well. I wasn't always I guess what guys would call cute. I was...not...I was rather homely. And I'm telling you this because...well I really don't know why...but I like you, but if you kiss me, I want you to know that...I wasn't always cute, and I want you to kiss that girl, the ugly girl, and not...not me now. Or I want to know that you would have wanted to kiss her, and....I'm makin' a fool of myself," said Thelma.

"Oh Thelma. I don't think I ever liked you so much as I like you now. Just think, you are wild in every way but that way. I would have thought the opposite...that's precious indeed. You...I understand what you are saying. I like what I see inside you now.

If you weren't cute I certainly wouldn't have treated you badly. I was raised right. I would hope I would be able to see inside you like I can right now...see how very cute you are inside. I'm going to try it again. And I don't bite, and I won't hurt you. Just trust yourself, let your lips melt into mine," he added.

He toyed with the pad of her lip with his thumb, just gently caressing her lips, the action caused her mouth to water in anticipation. Again he was close to her, and it was butterscotch, aftershave, and cigarettes.

This time, when he cupped her cheek, she cupped his as well. When he kissed her lips softly, she was powerless to resist him this time, allowing her lips to part, and letting him have entry inside her lips, and it was rapturous, and everything she dreamed it would be, back when she was a homely little girl. The tingles, the fireworks, he tasted so sweet, felt so strong and solid, and she felt warm and funny everywhere.

***

The lust, taking over Grant, at kissing the young lass was incredible. Her lips were so full and sensual, fuller than any lips he'd ever kissed before. He did truly believe her bashful confession that she'd never been kissed, but she was a quick study. While he could taste the innocence in her kiss, there was fire there, more fire than in the anemic little kisses that the elite girls gave. She followed his lead like a perfect dance. He sucked her bottom lip, so she sucked his. He flittered his tongue around the tip of her own tongue, so she did the same in his own mouth. He retreated, she retreated as well, then they started back in again, as though unable to quench their own fire.

He felt the need swell in his groin and he released his grip on her face. He didn't want to scare her just yet, and...because she'd never been kissed before, if she saw him getting an erection, she would probably grow frightened. The contradiction thrilled him. She was much more experienced and worldly wise than the women in his elite circle, in every way, except the ways of men. Those elite girls were the opposite, just trying to cover up their "dirt" when they found a respectable suitor, but boring in every other way known to man, no passion, no fire about them, and certainly not playful, roughish, and funny like Thelma. Feisty Thelma.

"GW...I'm glad it was with you first. I know it wasn't your first. But I'm glad it was with you first," she added, grabbing his face and pecking his lips gently.

"I'm glad too Thelma. See...it wasn't so bad...it was actually rather nice," he added his own eyes sparkling like hers.

"I'm hungry," he added, not trusting himself to linger on the idea of kissing her longer. He wanted to spread her out on the blanket and show her how nice it could be if he kissed her other places, but he knew it was much too soon for any of that.

This was happening fast, and he was getting a little nervous now. He hadn't depended on truly liking her, and having such an incredible crush on her. When he saw her at the club that night, his thoughts were on experimenting with the cute girl, in the nightclub, from the wrong side of the tracks.

But now he really liked her! So it was no longer an experiment at

all. It couldn't be just an experiment. He was mad for her. One date and he was mad for her. Christ! What would happen when he tried to invite this woman into his cloistered, snobby little elite world?

***

They ate. He was both amused and entertained by her banter, and the way she smothered everything with an orange kind of hot sauce. The food was spicy enough to him as it was, but he found it fitting that she would be looking for more spice. She was so lively, and he couldn't help wondering how much more lively she would become when she knew the ways of a man. He felt guilty, but now that he knew how innocent she was, it intrigued him all the more so, and he wanted to be her first lover. But with that confession he couldn't break her heart. What a clod he would be in that instance.

She also, though she ate demurely and lady like had quite an appetite, which was refreshing, unlike those stuck up young women he hung around with who pretended that they could barely eat a bite.

"Hmm, I want something sweet. I bet you do too. I should have baked a pie," said Thelma.

Grant chuckled uproariously.

"You have quite an appetite for someone so small. I think it's adorable. You're so adorable. I can't eat another bite Thelma. But pie sounds good. How about tomorrow? I'll take you out for an apple pie and ice-cream. Coffee and whatever else you can cram down. The whole tab on me! Whole restaurant if you can wolf it down. Finally a woman not scared to eat. Refreshing," he added with a chuckle.

"Are you calling me greedy, because I love to eat and I don't have those hoity-toity rich ways," she said playfully punching his arm.

"Ouch. You pack a wallop too! No, I'm not calling you greedy. I'm saying you are fun to be around. It's my excuse to see you again tomorrow," he added gently his voice filled with laughter and delight.

"You don't need to have an excuse. I'd like to see you again tomorrow too," she said bashfully looking at her feet.

"So it's a date," he added.

"Yeah. Now what about my ten dollars? I did put a hurting on you out there on the green, and a bet is a bet" she said sticking out her hand.

"Oh no, no, no, I don't think lovers should gamble any longer Thelma," he added chuckling uproariously.

"Who said we were lovers yet Grant, it's only our first date, a bet's a bet, and it's time you pay up," said Thelma, lighting up her post meal cigarette.

He exhaled a heavy sigh, and reached into his wallet fishing for a ten.

She grabbed his hand.

"I just wanted to see if you'd be a good pay. I think...I think you can give me another payment like the payment you gave me before to say goodbye and we'll call it square," she added softly.

She was so darling, all that to trap him into giving her another kiss, the same trap he'd used on her to get to kiss her in the first place. She was creative and witty like him. He never shared that with another soul. He loved it!

And this time she led the kiss, and while she was very shy at first, it didn't take long for passion to consume the two of them. He had to be careful not to kiss her in the vulgar and lusty way that he wanted to. It was a struggle to keep it sweet, and not nasty and sensual. He found her more attractive than any other woman he'd ever courted. Perhaps she wasn't the most beautiful woman on paper, but she was definitely extremely physically cute, and her spirited personality and those dimples made her the most attractive woman in any room to him.

"I had a great time. Grant I gotta run. I've got some records I gotta pick up. Gotta keep practicing you know. I have to be able to do all the hit tunes that are on the radio," she added.

He helped her pack up the spread and she was on her way. He waited to make sure that ancient Buick that she was driving started safely. He missed her the second she pulled away from the lot. That was when he knew just how much he'd started to care, and just how fast.

***

Thelma did manage to make it safely home, though she ran two stop signs thinking about Grant, and did know that her father would have killed her if she'd gotten in an accident in their old Buick. It was all the transportation her family had outside of the train, which they all used most often. As soon as she got home, she rang Marlinda, and told her all of the dirt. Marlinda said that Grant sounded like a dream. She also warned her, to be careful, and remember that she and Grant came from two different sides of the tracks, and not to take it too seriously or she might get hurt.

She heard her best friend, but she didn't want to internalize that thought. She just wanted to think and remember the delightful kisses that they shared, and she did feel warm and tingly everywhere, even there, and she felt embarrassed that she was surprised that a man could have that effect on her. Obviously he was the first man she was ever really deeply attracted to in a sensual way. But now she felt like a mess, and like she wanted to rock against the corner of the sofa like she did about once a month when she was alone in the house, and it culminated in a firestorm of joy.

Although Thelma was inexperienced she didn't have hang-ups about her sexuality. She felt like this was a valid physical need, and when the urge occurred and she was alone she had no problem satisfying it. However it frightened her that GW made her feel so strongly with just a kiss that she did it three times in a row that day on the corner of the sofa.

Then she, ever the dutiful daughter whipped up dinner, so that all her parents would have to do would be to heat it up in the oven. She never saw them anymore, she was always performing, gigging, and clubbing. One day it would be all worthwhile. She would get her parents out of this hovel, and into a house. And maybe she would have her own bedroom. She didn't care how old she was...if she ever made it she was going to take care of her mother and father.

But for now...all she could think about was that handsome, white looking GW. He seemed to be so intrigued by her, because she was so different than him. She bet one room in his parents summer home was bigger than her tiny apartment. And surely he had contacts with lots of rich and attractive women. She didn't want to be fool headed. Maybe Marlinda was right, she should play it cool with Grant. But she didn't know if she could be of divided mind like her best friend. Her best friend seemed to think that she could experiment romantically with Grant and not get her feelings all caught up. But what Marlinda didn't understand was that, she never kissed a man before Grant. She couldn't just fool around with him, she was falling for him.