Starting From Zero Excerpt:
Tamara lives way out here? White Oak, Maryland. I’ve been waiting to see her all week. Tonight’s the night. I have my Italian suit on. Looking good. I need to think about losing weight. Suit’s feeling kinda tight on me. I need to go on a diet. Better yet I should just buy bigger clothes. I’ll stop by a store next week. Get me a nice wool suit since winter is coming up. Right now though I need to concentrate on Tamara. Man she has a nice body. Probably take me two days to enact all my fantasies about her. Then another three days to make up some more. Almost there. She wanted me to call her from the car to let her know when I’m close, so she can meet me outside. No problem there. Let me dial real quick.
Tamara picks up. “Hello.”
“Tamara it’s Steve. I’ll be there in about five minutes.”
“Okay Steve I will be outside waiting for you.”
“Alright Tamara.” This is going to be good.
I pull into the driveway of Tamara’s complex. Then I see something that makes my heart jump. She is definitely made to perfection. Tamara has on a red evening dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. How that song go? Baby got back! Plus she has on some black pumps that are bringing tears to my eyes. I think I’m in love. I drive the car over to where she is standing. I put the car in park and walk over to her side of the car in order to let her in. She is so fine I’ll make love to her right on the spot. She’s so fine I’ll make love to her shadow. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you Steve. You look...handsome yourself.”
She sounded like she wanted to say something else. No I can’t think like that. Let me just have a good time tonight. I get into the car and immediately put on a local top 40 station. The way her head is bobbing I guess Tamara enjoys the music. I try to keep my attention on the road. “So are you ready to see this play?”
“I certainly am ready. One of my girlfriends has seen the play already. She fell in love with the lead character. In fact she wants to see the play again.”
“That’s good.”
“I am starved. Where are we going for dinner?”
“We’re going to dinner at Marco’s in Georgetown.”
“Marco’s. I’m impressed.”
Alright! Scoring some points. “This brother named Dexter Williams has an ownership interest in the place.”
“The CEO of DEX Enterprises. He owns a lot of property in the area. Marco’s is a very expensive place. You sure that you can afford the prices?”
“No problem. I think I can handle it,” I say with a confidence.
“Glad to hear that.”
**********
“The food here is excellent. I have to send my compliments to the chef,” Tamara says as she’s eating a chicken dinner that anywhere else would have cost $4.95.
“Yeah, I love coming here.” The requisite lie. Only time I’ve been here is when my supervisor treated the paralegals to lunch.
“That surprises me. You really do not seem to like the type who would eat in this place.”
The hell is she supposed to mean by that? “Why do you say that?”
“Marco’s is a place for more...upscale people. Business owners, professionals, people like that.”
“You’re saying that I’m not a professional?”
“I did not mean to offend you. It is just that a paralegal is not considered a professional.”
I keep my cool. “Maybe, maybe not. The term professional is kinda subjective anyway. Look, I get paid. More than a lot of professionals in this town.”
“I guess you are right,” Tamara says in way that sends chills up my spine.
“I guess you would qualify as a professional.”
“College degree and master’s degree. C.P.A. You are right, I qualify as a professional.”
Man she sounded conceited when she said that. “Even though I don’t know anything about your work you definitely seem competent. Do you supervise anybody?”
“I supervise five people. In another year I expect to be running a whole department.”
“Like I said before you’re definitely ambitious.”
“Yes, ambitious.”
Oh man she’s giving me that look. “All that work, I know you’re ready to have a good time.”
“Oh yes,” Tamara says real seductively.
Yeah baby I’m gonna get mine tonight.
**********
After dinner and dessert we leave Marco’s to go see The Perfect Man at Constitution Hall. It’s pretty good I guess. It’s about this brother involved in relationships with two women. Each woman sees him as the perfect man. What a stupid story. Who buys that? I’m only paying so much attention to the play anyway. Tamara on the other hand is enjoying it. I’m enjoying how her legs are rubbing up against me and how she is leaning into me. Damn my joint is hard.
After the show I drive her home and she invites me to her condo. Oh yeah here we go. She tells me to have a seat and asks if I want anything to drink. I want to say a forty but don’t want to appear tacky. I tell her red wine is alright. She goes into the kitchen to get two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. When she returns she sits the wine glasses on the table and picks up the remote control to turn on her CD player. She put a Sade CD on. It sounds nice. It’s a nice mood. Lights are dim. I uncork the wine bottle. We make a toast to ambition. We stand up and start slow dancing. I mean SLOW dancing. I shouldn’t even say dancing. We’re GRINDING. Oh man I’m going to tear this girl up! As we grind our lips start to touch. We start tongue kissing like long lost lovers. We’re going for it. Man I thought I was hard before. I’m even harder now. I’m going to get some tonight! I start rubbing on her back gradually going down to her butt. Oh man does it feel nice. The same time she’s rubbing on my back eventually going down to my butt. Dag, she’s really grabbing me. I start lifting her dress slowly. Now she’s putting on the brakes.
“Steve, that is far enough. We have not reached that point yet.”
“Come on baby we were in a groove. Why stop it now?”
Tamara pulls away from me and sits down on the couch. “Steve I really think we should get to know each other better. There is just too much stuff out there to mess around.”
“I guess you’re right.” I join Tamara on the couch. “I guess we really should get to know each other better.”
“I just want to be sure. I have met too many jerks out here to mess around. ”
“I can respect that.” The requisite lie.
“Tell you what Steve. Just hold me. I feel good in your arms.”
“I guess I can do that for you.” I pull her towards me. We sit there just relaxing. Chilling to Sade.
**********
I leave Tamara’s about an hour later. She gave me one helluva good night kiss. She definitely gives me something to look forward to. Unfortunately I still have a killer hard-on. I know how to take care of it. Every time I go to this girl’s apartment I worry if somebody is going to steal my car. I always say I’m going to leave this girl alone. Never quite works out that way. I arrive at her complex, park my car, and walk to her apartment. I called ahead, of course. I wanted her to be ready as soon as I arrived. I knock on the door.
“Who is it?”
“You know who it is.”
She opens the door.
“Hi Jo. I’m feeling horny tonight.”
“What happened Steve? That woman you went out with tonight didn’t give you any.”
“I didn’t go out with any woman tonight. My firm had a function.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Do I tell you everything I do?”
“No but I wish you’d...”
I grab Jo, kiss her and take her to the bedroom. Jo probably had the best time of her life. She didn’t know that I was thinking about Tamara the whole time.
Tamara picks up. “Hello.”
“Tamara it’s Steve. I’ll be there in about five minutes.”
“Okay Steve I will be outside waiting for you.”
“Alright Tamara.” This is going to be good.
I pull into the driveway of Tamara’s complex. Then I see something that makes my heart jump. She is definitely made to perfection. Tamara has on a red evening dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. How that song go? Baby got back! Plus she has on some black pumps that are bringing tears to my eyes. I think I’m in love. I drive the car over to where she is standing. I put the car in park and walk over to her side of the car in order to let her in. She is so fine I’ll make love to her right on the spot. She’s so fine I’ll make love to her shadow. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you Steve. You look...handsome yourself.”
She sounded like she wanted to say something else. No I can’t think like that. Let me just have a good time tonight. I get into the car and immediately put on a local top 40 station. The way her head is bobbing I guess Tamara enjoys the music. I try to keep my attention on the road. “So are you ready to see this play?”
“I certainly am ready. One of my girlfriends has seen the play already. She fell in love with the lead character. In fact she wants to see the play again.”
“That’s good.”
“I am starved. Where are we going for dinner?”
“We’re going to dinner at Marco’s in Georgetown.”
“Marco’s. I’m impressed.”
Alright! Scoring some points. “This brother named Dexter Williams has an ownership interest in the place.”
“The CEO of DEX Enterprises. He owns a lot of property in the area. Marco’s is a very expensive place. You sure that you can afford the prices?”
“No problem. I think I can handle it,” I say with a confidence.
“Glad to hear that.”
**********
“The food here is excellent. I have to send my compliments to the chef,” Tamara says as she’s eating a chicken dinner that anywhere else would have cost $4.95.
“Yeah, I love coming here.” The requisite lie. Only time I’ve been here is when my supervisor treated the paralegals to lunch.
“That surprises me. You really do not seem to like the type who would eat in this place.”
The hell is she supposed to mean by that? “Why do you say that?”
“Marco’s is a place for more...upscale people. Business owners, professionals, people like that.”
“You’re saying that I’m not a professional?”
“I did not mean to offend you. It is just that a paralegal is not considered a professional.”
I keep my cool. “Maybe, maybe not. The term professional is kinda subjective anyway. Look, I get paid. More than a lot of professionals in this town.”
“I guess you are right,” Tamara says in way that sends chills up my spine.
“I guess you would qualify as a professional.”
“College degree and master’s degree. C.P.A. You are right, I qualify as a professional.”
Man she sounded conceited when she said that. “Even though I don’t know anything about your work you definitely seem competent. Do you supervise anybody?”
“I supervise five people. In another year I expect to be running a whole department.”
“Like I said before you’re definitely ambitious.”
“Yes, ambitious.”
Oh man she’s giving me that look. “All that work, I know you’re ready to have a good time.”
“Oh yes,” Tamara says real seductively.
Yeah baby I’m gonna get mine tonight.
**********
After dinner and dessert we leave Marco’s to go see The Perfect Man at Constitution Hall. It’s pretty good I guess. It’s about this brother involved in relationships with two women. Each woman sees him as the perfect man. What a stupid story. Who buys that? I’m only paying so much attention to the play anyway. Tamara on the other hand is enjoying it. I’m enjoying how her legs are rubbing up against me and how she is leaning into me. Damn my joint is hard.
After the show I drive her home and she invites me to her condo. Oh yeah here we go. She tells me to have a seat and asks if I want anything to drink. I want to say a forty but don’t want to appear tacky. I tell her red wine is alright. She goes into the kitchen to get two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. When she returns she sits the wine glasses on the table and picks up the remote control to turn on her CD player. She put a Sade CD on. It sounds nice. It’s a nice mood. Lights are dim. I uncork the wine bottle. We make a toast to ambition. We stand up and start slow dancing. I mean SLOW dancing. I shouldn’t even say dancing. We’re GRINDING. Oh man I’m going to tear this girl up! As we grind our lips start to touch. We start tongue kissing like long lost lovers. We’re going for it. Man I thought I was hard before. I’m even harder now. I’m going to get some tonight! I start rubbing on her back gradually going down to her butt. Oh man does it feel nice. The same time she’s rubbing on my back eventually going down to my butt. Dag, she’s really grabbing me. I start lifting her dress slowly. Now she’s putting on the brakes.
“Steve, that is far enough. We have not reached that point yet.”
“Come on baby we were in a groove. Why stop it now?”
Tamara pulls away from me and sits down on the couch. “Steve I really think we should get to know each other better. There is just too much stuff out there to mess around.”
“I guess you’re right.” I join Tamara on the couch. “I guess we really should get to know each other better.”
“I just want to be sure. I have met too many jerks out here to mess around. ”
“I can respect that.” The requisite lie.
“Tell you what Steve. Just hold me. I feel good in your arms.”
“I guess I can do that for you.” I pull her towards me. We sit there just relaxing. Chilling to Sade.
**********
I leave Tamara’s about an hour later. She gave me one helluva good night kiss. She definitely gives me something to look forward to. Unfortunately I still have a killer hard-on. I know how to take care of it. Every time I go to this girl’s apartment I worry if somebody is going to steal my car. I always say I’m going to leave this girl alone. Never quite works out that way. I arrive at her complex, park my car, and walk to her apartment. I called ahead, of course. I wanted her to be ready as soon as I arrived. I knock on the door.
“Who is it?”
“You know who it is.”
She opens the door.
“Hi Jo. I’m feeling horny tonight.”
“What happened Steve? That woman you went out with tonight didn’t give you any.”
“I didn’t go out with any woman tonight. My firm had a function.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Do I tell you everything I do?”
“No but I wish you’d...”
I grab Jo, kiss her and take her to the bedroom. Jo probably had the best time of her life. She didn’t know that I was thinking about Tamara the whole time.