Chapter 6
Being naturally small-chested worked well for me, but occasionally I had to pull out the binding tape for the small curves. I smoothed it and checked the placement before reaching for my black dress shirt to finish getting dressed. I”d never had issues with my body or the way it was shaped. But I also tended to wear my packer and tape when I went on dates. Nonbinary was sometimes an odd label for me, as I preferred a masculine presentation but still liked my makeup. Gender had always been an abstract concept and even at my age, I was still figuring my shit out.
I buttoned my shirt to just between my bound breasts and checked myself out. Turning left to right, and then moving out from in front of the mirror to put on my watch. There was only an hour until I needed to be at Trinity”s place to pick her up and I wanted to make a stop to get her flowers.
When her text came in, I”d experienced a small amount of shock that she”d reached out. Yeah, I knew I was a good-looking person. I”d heard it enough in my life, but I wasn”t the vain type. Trinity being straight, I”d figured that was the death of the chance at a test date. And that”s what I was considering tonight. I hadn”t told my mama or dad about it. Until I knew how the date went, I didn”t want the interrogations.
I slipped on my tailored jacket, adjusted my black-framed glasses and jogged downstairs to get my wallet and phone. Picked up my keys for my car. Tonight wasn”t a bike night, but maybe one day or night soon I could take her for a ride.
Once I had everything, I headed across the city with my detour to get flowers. I picked an extravagant bouquet for my babygirl and a smaller one for the best friend. If Trinity told her about me or the date, I”d planned for that interrogation. My first impression hadn”t been great—I sent Trinity home in the afternoon and probably worried the hell out of Freida.
When I pulled up to her building, I saw the parking garage and pulled in. She told me where to park when I”d texted to just check on her. She”d been in the middle of homework so she wouldn”t have to worry about trying to finish Sunday before work. I grabbed the flowers and got out, redid one of the buttons on my jacket and looked down to make sure I was presentable.
By the time I stepped out onto her floor, I felt like I was going on my first date ever. Granted I hadn”t been on many, but it wasn”t like I was some stupid teenager. Couldn”t tell that by the nerves that twisted my gut. I paused outside the door and raised my hand to knock. I heard voices on the other side and then the lock clicked. As the door slowly opened, I saw a pretty blonde sitting on her knees looking over the back of the couch. The more Freida got a full look at me, the wider her eyes got. I smirked. Yet as soon as Trinity came into view, no one else existed.
She wore a pretty, bright-yellow dress with a plunging neckline that looked good against her dark skin. Her long hair was twisted up and she had on just a hint of makeup. My girl had sexy, delicate heels that made her legs look even longer.
Shit, I was going to behave, I promised myself I would.
”Don”t you look gorgeous, babygirl.” I stepped up to her and wrapped one arm around her waist, tipping my chin to brush a kiss to her cheek. ”Might have to change plans to keep you all to myself.”
She giggled a bit as I kissed the side of her neck before I moved away.
”These are for you.” I handed over the larger bouquet.
”Thank you, you didn”t have to,” she whispered as she held them to her chest.
”A beautiful babygirl deserves flowers.”
”Trinity,” Freida hissed under her breath.
Until she”d called my babygirl”s name, I hadn”t realized my girl had stepped closer to me. I”d slipped my arm back around her waist to hold her to me. She cleared her throat and stepped away. I was a strange mix of irked and amused as Trinity wouldn”t look at me. I wanted to know why she was embarrassed, but decided I”d ask that without an audience.
”You must be Freida. I”m Rogue, and these are for you.” I introduced myself and handed Freida the smaller bunch of flowers. ”Very nice to meet you.”
”Why did you give me flowers?” Freida asked.
I didn”t bother looking away from her gaze as I answered. ”Because you”re going to interrogate me in front of my girl and I hoped flowers would lessen the devastation of the blows.”
”I like you,” Freida said with a slight flare of her nostrils.
”Thanks, I think. You did snarl your nose when you said that.”
”She loathes anything to do with romance,” Trinity said from behind me.
”But occasionally a girl can be happy to get flowers.” She held them as if I”d attempt to take them away from her.
”Glad you like them.” I glanced over my shoulder to find out where Trinity was.
”I”m going to put these in water, do we have time?”
”Plenty, our reservations aren”t until nine. If we”re early, we can sit in the bar until our table is ready. I”m in no hurry to rush the night. Get all your stuff together, babygirl.”
She nodded in that shy way she had, and I didn”t take my attention from her until she disappeared into what had to be the kitchen. I sensed myself being stared at and when I glanced at Freida, I found her glaring at me.
”What”s your game?” she demanded.
I chuckled as I shook my head. ”No game. I”m taking a beautiful woman out and don”t wait up, I have an entire night planned and the last thing on the list doesn”t happen until midnight.”
”Last thing? Can you come up with any other way to say you”re keeping her tonight and won”t let her out of bed?”
I laughed at her waggling her arched brows. ”As much as the pleasure of Trinity consenting to intimacy may be, no, I scheduled a midnight cruise. A friend of mine has a boat, he”s going to captain for me.”
”You”re telling her about the date, but wouldn”t give me a clue,” Trinity accused coming up behind us.
”She was questioning my intentions when I told her not to wait up. All my intentions are quite innocent and all about you having fun. Are you ready?”
”Yes, I just have to get my purse, I left it on my bed. I”ll be right back.”
”Smooth, Barrister, really smooth,” Freida hissed.
”You have a very low opinion of me and I just met you.”
”This is the first date she”s ever been on, like ever.”
”How is that even possible?”
Trinity deserved the world. All the romance she could handle. The pressure really was on, if in fact this was my babygirl’s first date. What kind of men did Trinity come into contact with?
”I don”t know, I tried to get her to go out plenty, but she said until she could date as herself, she didn”t want to. She even went and bought a special dress for tonight. You confuse her.”
”I had a feeling, but tonight, like I told her, is all innocent and all about her.”
”Just make sure her phone is charged.”
”Just give me your number,” I said.
There was a strange heaviness in the room and I turned to find Trinity watching me. She looked hurt. ”Babygirl, now, don”t even think that. This way I have hers if you”re with me and your phone dies.” I closed the distance between us and raised my left hand to her cheek. ”I don”t know who you”ve dealt with in the past, but I wouldn”t be that disrespectful. Besides why would I look at anyone else when my babygirl looks like this?” I let my gaze move over her, taking my time to memorize the curves of her body highlighted by the dress.
”You look really handsome,” Trinity said shyly.
”Thank you, I dug out a suit. I didn”t want you ashamed to be seen on my arm.”
”Rogue?” She whispered my name.
”Yes, babygirl?”
”I don”t put out on the first date.”
Her bratty little grin made me imagine spanking her ass.
”Technically, this is the second date.”
”In your dreams.”
”You have no idea.” I winked and she rolled her eyes at me. ”Are you ready to go?”
She nodded, and we went through the process of saying goodbye to Freida who didn”t seem inclined to let me leave with her best friend. Trinity jerked the handle and Freida finally let go, and the door slammed.
”I”m getting a bit of a complex, babygirl,” I said as I laced my fingers through hers and led her to the elevator. As I pushed the button, I glanced at her.
”That”s just Freida, and also she”s always been extremely protective of me.”
”As a best friend should be.”
”Do you have a best friend?”
That answer was easy, but sad in a way. ”My parents.”
”Really?” she asked as the doors slid open and we stepped inside.
”Yeah, Mama has been my best friend since I was a kid. She was always my constant. Supportive in everything I decided to do with my life. Even when I thought I was fucking up. My gestational mother despised me. She hasn”t spoken to me since I tried to reconnect with her in college. I never told Mama. Mother said I was like my Mama with my disgusting ways.”
”Sorry.”
I shook my head as I stroked my thumb over her knuckles. ”It was fine. It wasn”t surprising in the least.”
”What about your dad?”
My lips quirked up into a smile as we made the walk to my vehicle. ”He gives the best hugs, but don”t tell Mama that.” I loved the sound of her giggle. ”He was supportive from day one. I was his because Mama was. Bruiser is majorly rough around the edges and most people would cross the street to avoid him, but mainly I love him for how he”s hopelessly devoted to Mama. She deserves it all.”
I glanced at her as she remained silent. She had that same odd look on her face that she”d had the night I met her. Pulling out my key fob, I unlocked the doors. I opened the passenger side and helped her into the seat. When I started buckling her in, her gaze locked on my face.
”What, babygirl?”
”What are you doing?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
”Making sure you”re safe.” I smiled at her as I leaned in and brushed my lips to her cheek.
Once I knew she was secure, I stepped away and closed the door. Through the windshield, I noticed her staring off into space and wondered what was going on in her head. When I got into the driver”s seat, I didn”t immediately start the car.
”What”s going on in your head, babygirl?”
”Growing up I never—” She sighed and kept her eyes forward.
”Never what?”
”Never thought I’d be here as myself…on a date. I was so terrified of searching for any information and getting caught looking up anything to do with being gay or Trans…of outing myself. My perception of myself was skewed because I never believed I”d grow up to have anything healthy. I truly believed I”d always be unhappy in life.”
”Is that something you still believe?”
”No, but it”s still hard and I wish I felt comfortable telling my parents.”
”How about a change of plans?” I asked.
Instantly her expression changed.
”Babygirl, you have to stop thinking the worst of me.” I started my car and pulled out, making my way across the city. ”Let me warn you, my parents love to embarrass me.”
”I”m meeting your parents?”
”Yeah, why not, you want to see healthy? I”m going to show you the perfect example.” I glanced at her to see her brighten with excitement. I was unsure if this would be a terrible mistake, but I wanted her happy even if she wasn”t dating me.