Too Many Men

By Rosalyn F. Campbell

This book is a riveting account of one women's journey through tumultuous relationships trying to find love and she gave up looking for love to find herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780615337821

Book preview

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Chapter One

TONI

I was sitting at home listening to my Teena Marie’s Greatest Hits album when my Aunt Tee called. She invited me and my best friend, Diamond, to the Meac after party she had gotten tickets to. My aunt always had the hook up to major events in and around the Richmond Metro area.

It was about 11:30 p.m. when we arrived at the club. We found a couple of seats at the bar and within five minutes of sipping our drinks, we heard BOOM and a loud scream. We turned around to see two men fighting, one who was thrown across the bar and the other with his hands around a guy’s throat. The sister standing beside him had her face covered in blood. She had apparently been hit in the head with a champagne bottle. It took five bouncers to pull the men apart. Broken glass and spilled drinks filled the counter tops and the floor beneath it. The crowd parted while the bouncers kept the men separated until the police arrived. Someone was standing so close to me that I could feel their breath on the back of my neck. I turned around to see the finest man I had ever laid eyes on. He stood about 6’2 and around 240 pounds, which appeared to be pure muscle. Light brown skin, brown eyes and sporting a low school boy haircut. He was wearing a half-way unbuttoned white, form-fitting silk shirt, a pair of nicely pressed black slacks that really complimented his physique, and pair of black Stacey Adams. To me this man was pure perfection, and from his physical appearance I could find no flaws.

This shit don’t make any sense, he said to me. This is why they always shutting places down here because Negros don’t know how to act!

I totally agree with you on that, I responded as I carefully undressed him with my eyes.

What’s your name beautiful?

Toni, I said, flattered that he was interested in talking to me.

And what’s your name?

Anthony, he replied. Can I talk to you for a second?

Sure. I turned towards my aunt and Diamond and told them I would be back in a few.

My Aunt Tee gave me a look that said ‘you go girl, strut your stuff in here and make these broads mad.’

Diamond on the other hand had a look that said ‘he should be with me.’

Whatever. I thought to myself. I know what she’s thinking.

Anthony and I talked for a while, then he asked, Toni, would you like to dance?

As we walked through the club, the younger women seemed to get jealous of my aunt and as we continued to walk, you could hear people whisper, She needs to take her old butt home. My aunt was forty-something and had it going on. She wasn’t afraid to put on her little mini or other form-fitting outfits. Basically, she didn’t care about letting it all hang out. She could also move better than the younger women could and when she hit the dance floor the men all paused. Whether they were with dates or not, it didn’t matter, they would continuously flirt with her.

Step aside young ones and let Aunt Tee show you how it’s done, she would say. Before you knew it Aunt Tee was on the dance floor with two fine frat brothers. One was very tall and light-skinned with short wavy hair and the other was shorter and thicker with a bald head. For a moment all eyes were on them.

Diamond was standing against the wall scanning the room for a new victim. Her last boyfriend quickly caught onto her games and just as quickly cleared himself of her and ran like hell to warn the others. Now she was looking for a replacement.

I have to admit, I was shocked when Anthony asked me to dance. Out of all the sorority sisters and their friends, he asked me to dance. I felt noticeable.

As we stepped out on the floor, all eyes were on us and I could hear a sister say, I don’t know why he is asking that little black girl to dance. She needs to take her jigaa boo behind outta here. They made sure they were loud enough for me to hear.

Other girls looked with envy and guys were looking with lust in their eyes. I must admit I was looking damn good that night. I had on a tight-fitting black mini-dress that showed off all my curves and my 36DDs, and the strobe lights left my chocolate brown skin glistening.

My heartbeat was racing when I put my arms around him and he pulled me closer. Feeling his body next to mine was too much for me to bear. When he grabbed my long black hair in his fingers I thought I was going to faint.

I exhaled.

Are you alright? he asked.

Yeah, I’m alright. It’s just real hot in here and I can hardly breathe.

Do you and your girlfriend want to go and get some breakfast?

I don’t mind, but let me ask her if she wants to go.

Diamond was at the bar talking to Anthony’s friend, Tank. It seemed like Anthony and Tank already had things planned out. Hmm, makes you wonder.

Hey girl, do you want to go to breakfast with them?

I don’t care. I’ve been drinking all night and I’m starving, plus I’m broke.

Okay, ya’ll can meet me outside. I have to go and find Aunt Tee, I said.

Walking through the club I was getting mixed emotions from the crowd. Some girls bumped me on purpose, while others just smiled. Guys were pulling on me trying to get a number and I was more than happy to say, No thanks, I’m with Anthony.

From their reactions, I could tell that Anthony was very well respected. I made my way to the VIP room when I saw Aunt Tee and some man who looked young enough to be her son in the far corner of the room tonguing down. His hands were all over her butt and thighs. People were gathering around whispering and giggling like they were watching a peep show. I was starting to get embarrassed. My dark brown cheeks turned dark purple. I had seen enough!

Aunt Tee! I screamed, What are you doing! You need to stop this nonsense and go home! I think you had more than enough to drink.

Aunt Tee screamed back at me, Girl I’m grown and I can do whatever I want!

You shouldn’t let him have his hands all up your skirt like that! I shouted. It’s not lady like at all and it makes you look trashy."

The young man turned to me and said, Look sis, you need to leave your aunt alone. She is a grown woman and she knows what she’s doing.

Aggravated, I responded back, You need to shut up and stay out of this. Aunt Tee, let’s go.

You always cock-blocking, Aunt Tee said.

I’m not cock-blocking, but whatever you do needs to be done in private and not in a night club. You’re old enough to be his mother.

Well I’m trying to be if you would leave me alone. Plus I thought I had one mother.

Well tonight you have two. Someone has to look after you because you can’t look after yourself. What would your daughter think if she saw you out here acting like that?

Who cares what she thinks? That’s why I left her at home.

Just go home and I will call you in the morning.

Well, where are you going?

To breakfast with Diamond and those two guys we met.

You mean you’re going to breakfast with Mr. All-Star?

Yep.

You better try to hold on to that one. You know he is supposed to go pro. Plus he is fine.

Yeah, whatever.

If things don’t work out between you two, you tell him to call Aunt Tee.

For the last time good night, Aunt Tee!

Diamond, Anthony and Tank were waiting for me outside. Anthony walked over to me and put his arms around my neck. What took you so long?

I was looking for my aunt to tell her I was leaving.

Oh, I started to get worried. I thought I was going to have to come and look for you. I thought one of my frat brothers may have hemmed you up, he laughed.

I didn’t find that very funny.

I’m sorry.

We walked into the parking lot and stepped into a midnight black Benz. I got even harsher stares from the sorority sisters and Diamond was giving me the eye like, ‘yeah girl you got all the attention tonight, play it for what it’s worth.’

As we rode past all you could hear were them mumbling while looking at me in total disgust. I looked back at them with my pearly whites, laid back in my seat and enjoyed the ride. We pulled into the parking lot of the 3rd Street Diner. That was the after club, after party hang out spot for college goers. The waitress came and showed us to our seats. After about ten minutes the waitress came back.

Are you ready to order? she asked.

Yes, everyone replied.

Toni, what do you want?

I’ll have some bacon, grits, hash browns with cheese and onions and a large glass of orange juice.

I’ll have the omelet platter with no onions and glass of water, replied Anthony.

Tank and Diamond both had the number five which was the steak and egg combo with orange juice.

I have to go to the bathroom, I said. I’ll be right back.

Me too, girl. Wait for me, Diamond added.

Anthony

What do you think about Diamond? asked Anthony.

I think I’m going to get laid tonight, responded Tank. Man this girl is hot. She’s been all over me. Straight freak. You can see it in her eyes. I was thinking about going to the Crown Plaza after this, you down?

I don’t know if I want to take it there with Toni. I kind of like her, she’s different. There is something about her I like. She is beautiful. So far, I like everything about her. Her skin, her eyes, her hair. Body is banging and she has a great personality. I think I’m going to take my time and get to know this one.

Are you sure about this one? Because I’ve never seen you with this type before. I mean she just graduated high school, and she doesn’t have a job or her own place. I thought you were only into college educated women with big bank accounts. I also thought that you didn’t like dark-skinned women.

I don’t like that type but Toni’s an exception. I think I can bend the rules a little bit.

TONI

As Diamond and I were standing in the mirror checking ourselves to make sure everything was in place, she asked, Girl what do you think about Anthony? You know all the girls in the club were getting jealous.

Yeah I know, but there is something about him that doesn’t rest well with me. He seems nice and all and he is fine, one of the finest brothers I’ve seen in along time, but I’m getting this uneasy feeling around him.

That feeling aint nothing, Diamond said sarcastically. You just nervous because you finally got to go out with a real man and you don’t know how to act. Suck it up and just go with the flow. He is the star quarterback and you know he may go pro. You better try to snag him before one of them other sisters do. They’re just waiting for you to mess up so they can step in.

I guess your right. What the heck, I’ll give it a shot, I said.

Before we left the bathroom I said to Diamond, "What about you, do you like Tank?

No, not really, she responded, and then she added He’s corny but I’ll do him.

Is that all you think about? I asked. Annoyed by what she said I just shook my head and said, Damn shame.

Yup, she said. I’m young and I’m just trying to explore my options.

Don’t you think that you are exploring a little too much?

Angry at this point she raised her voice and said, Shut up! See that’s your problem – you’re not getting any. What you need to do is stop waiting around for Mr. Right and settle for Mr. Right now. If you get some maybe you won’t be so cranky.

Whatever, heifer. I get what I need and I’m not cranky.

There is nothing wrong with having a little fun, said Diamond, trying to explain her actions. I have plenty of time to settle down. I’m not in a hurry and you shouldn’t be either.

I nonchalantly answered her, I just don’t want to keep spreading my legs open for all these different men. Saying to myself ‘I hope he’s the one.’ Do you know how many men you can run through if you keep taking that route?

With her no-care attitude she answered me back, I don’t care how many men I run through. I’m going to keep running until I run into the right one.

Yeah, well that could be 100 men from now.

If that’s what it takes, she laughed.

Girl you aint right, I said to her.

What took you guys so long? Anthony asked as we got back to the table.

It was crowded in there, I said.

You came back just in time, he said. Your food is coming out now.

After we had eaten our meal, we sat there for a while talking and waiting for our food to digest.

So what are you ladies going to do after this? asked Tank.

I’m tired so I’ll probably just go home and get some sleep, I answered.

What about you? he asked Diamond.

Oh, I don’t know. What did you have in mind? she replied seductively.

How about coming to the Crown Plaza with us? Tank suggested.

I abruptly said, I don’t know about that one.

Diamond gave me this look like, ‘girl, come on, don’t make me go by myself.’

I looked back at her and gave her the look like ‘no, I don’t want to go.’

Tank asked Anthony, What do you want to do?

It doesn’t matter to me, he responded. It’s whatever Toni wants.

Diamond said, Come on girl, we aint got nothing better to do. We are just going to chill for a while.

Ok. I said, but I knew what that really meant. Chilling in a hotel room after hours can only mean one thing. I really didn’t want to go but she was my best friend and we always had each other’s back, so I went along. All the way I’m thinking to myself I don’t care how fine he is, he’s not getting any!

We were sitting on one bed and they were sitting on another. We’re just laughing and joking. I thought to myself. Hey this aint so bad. I just hope Diamond doesn’t do anything stupid. I know how she gets when her hormones start racing.

We talked a lot about schools we attended and the goals we had for our lives and how we planned to achieve them. Basically we were just getting better acquainted with each other and I could tell that Anthony and Tank were fishing for information to see where our heads were at.

Anthony pulled out a bag of weed and asked if we smoked. Tank jumped up and rolled a towel to put underneath the door. He jumped down on the bed beside Diamond like an excited little boy about to get his first kiss. If he knew what I knew he would keep his lips to himself, I thought to myself. We were all smoking weed and drinking Vodka that Tank just so conveniently had within his reach.

We continued to talk for about a half an hour and then things got quiet. No one was saying a word. The smell of weed and alcohol covered the room like a blanket.

Forty-Five minutes later it got quiet and the lights went off. The only light we had was the glare from the TV. Oh no, here we go.

At this point, Anthony seemed a little edgy and irritated, so he continued to talk, trying to take his focus off Tank and Diamond.

So Toni, do you plan on going to college?

Yeah, I thought about it.

What would your major be?

I don’t know. I haven’t quite found out what I want to do yet. Probably something in the science field.

Maybe you should think about Forensic Science. I heard that was a good field to be in. The salary range is somewhere in the upper double digits.

Really? With those digits maybe that’s what I need to be looking into.

Well I think you should.

Maybe he isn’t all that bad, he seems like he really has a good head on his shoulders. And he is so fine! I can’t stress that enough. The glare from the TV made a sexy silhouette of him. I was so focused on him I didn’t pay attention to what was going on at the other side of the room.

Anthony looked over to Diamond and Tank’s side of the room and in total shock exclaimed, Look at yo girl, she wilding out!

I looked over and I could not believe that my home girl went out like that. She was butt naked and was acting as if her and Tank were the only two people in the room.

Anthony was very bothered by the activity going on in the room, I wish they would quiet it down. I don’t want to hear that nor do I want to see it!

I think Anthony was getting a little teed off because he wasn’t getting any. I asked him if he wanted to go take a walk outside, and give them a little time.

He raised his voice, Yeah let’s do that!

An hour went by and the both of us started getting very tired so we decided to go back into the room, hoping those two were finished rumbling in the sheets. As we walked into the room, the aroma of sex filled the air. Not pleasant to be around, especially when it’s not yours, but we were too tired to even think about it. We laid down beside each other and went to sleep.

Around 6 a.m. we were both awakened by the sounds of moaning and groaning. They were at it again.

All you could see were Diamond’s long legs high above her head and the shadow of a nicely built muscular man.

Anthony angrily said, I don’t believe this, why don’t they give it a rest? Then he put the pillow over his head. I followed his lead and did the same. We woke up again around 10 a.m.. Diamond and Tank hopped in the shower together. Anthony and I decided to wait until we got home so we went down stairs instead and waited for them in the lobby.

What are your plans for today? Anthony asked me.

Nothing. I said. Diamond and I will probably go to the mall or something.

"Can I call you tonight? I would like to take you out, alone."

Sounds good to me. Here is my number.

After they dropped us off Diamond asked, Did you get his number?

No, I gave him mine.

You stupid girl! You should have gotten his number too.

Why should I? If he is really interested in me, then he will call.

Chapter Two

It was Thursday and a comfortable 98 degrees. Sometimes it would get very hot in Virginia. That was the only thing I really liked about that place. The weather was beautiful, not too cold and not too unbearably hot. I used to live in Hawaii so I guess my body was used to that type of heat which is one advantage of being an army brat. You get to explore different types of