Chapter 7
Even though my funds were running low, I couldn’t help but find myself in the grocery store buying a bouquet of roses for El.
She’d officially started taking clients at The Beauty Barber.
It was slow for now, but I had faith that her business would take off in no time.
Walking to the wine aisle, I looked for the Stella Rosa flavor I knew she enjoyed the most. When I saw the black bottle, I grabbed it off the shelf and turned to head to checkout.
I paused when a familiar voice spoke behind me.
“Hey, Perfect.” I could’ve lived the rest of my life without hearing her voice, so I kept walking. I heard her scurrying behind me. “Really, Port? You’re not going to say anything to me?”
I spun around so fast, she crashed right into my chest. “What the fuck you want me to say to you, Star?” I looked down my nose at her and felt disgust when she backed away, exposing her rounded belly. I chuckled dryly because she really played with my feelings. “Yeah, . . . I’m not doing this.”
Again, I walked away from her, and she followed. “I don’t know why you’re acting like that when, clearly, you had your own thing going on.” I frowned, confused by her accusation, but then remembered the bouquet in my hands.
I paused my retreat to give her the attention she so desperately wanted.
“Man, watch out. Whatever I have going on right now didn’t start until after you had me fucked up.
I came home, ready to start a life with you.
” I pointed at her for emphasis. “But you’re a lying, conniving, manipulative bitch, and I’m good on you.
We don’t have nothing to say to each other.
So, if you see me around town, just give me the courtesy of staying the fuck out of my face. ”
The phone I’d gone out and gotten began ringing on cue. I smiled when I removed it from my pocket to see it was a call from El. “What’s up, Princess?”
Star’s mouth fell open in shock, and her eyes flashed with tears, but I ignored her.
“Are you still out? We’re out of rice.”
“Oh yeah, I’m in the store. I got you.”
I could hear her smile through the phone. “Thank you, Port. Oh, and something sweet too!”
I chuckled. This girl always needed a dessert after dinner. “Butter pecan ice cream sandwiches?”
“Ooh, yes! Please.”
“Coming right up. See you in a bit.”
I hung up the phone, wondering why the fuck Star was still in my face.
She was acting like she hadn’t been the one in the wrong—as if I owed her something.
A nigga was far from perfect, but I loved her, and I was loyal through it all.
What she’d done was unforgivable. I could never look at her the way I used to.
The version of her I thought I knew was dead to me.
All I was left to see was the ugly truth.
I walked around her to grab the things El asked for, and thankfully, this time, she allowed me to.
I wasn’t sure if I could keep my cool for much longer.
It was only a month ago that I was coming home, thinking I was about to start a life with her.
But I trusted that everything happened the way it was supposed to, even if it fucking hurt to think about.
And sometimes, it still made my heart ache, but then El would come plop down beside me, start rambling, and all I could do was focus on the future.
After grabbing El’s rice and dessert, I went to the book aisle to see if I could find the one she was raving about—something she’d read on her Kindle, but she said the paperback was in stores now. “Ahh, there it is.”
With everything I needed in hand, I finally headed to checkout.
I couldn’t believe how quickly I was falling for El.
I thought she was dope as a teenager, but the adult her was irresistible.
I was obsessed with everything about her, from the way she walked, how she carried herself, to how she was so damn goofy.
She always kept me laughing. I even loved to hear her talk.
Whenever she was in the room with me, I felt grounded and present.
I could never miss a word out of her mouth without feeling like I was missing out on something important.
I wasn’t sure what was blooming between us, but I was terrified of it, even if I didn’t show it.
I used my key to let myself into the house.
I could hear the sizzle of something frying and knew from the aroma in the air that it was chicken.
Leaning against the doorway, I watched El move around the kitchen like a pro.
The way her two-piece set molded to her skin had me jealous.
She loved wearing cheetah print and the color pink.
The big, fluffy slippers on her feet were the most adorable thing.
“Damn, you make anything look good,” I finally said.
El nearly jumped out of her skin. The tongs in her hand clattered to the floor. “Boy, you almost gave me a heart attack.”
I chuckled while closing the distance between us.
She bent down to pick up the tongs. When she was standing at her full height, I placed a kiss on her cheek, and she blushed.
“For you.” I handed her the bouquet and the gift bag that had the wine, a card, and the book in it.
Seeing the smile on her face when she saw the book made my heart race.
I watched her do her happy dance without a care in the world.
I was going to say something about it not being much, but her joy was palpable.
Before I could prepare myself, she crashed into me and wrapped her body around mine. I held her in place, allowing my eyes to find hers. “Thank you so much, Perfect.”
“You’re welcome, Princess.”
She palmed my cheek and stared lovingly into my eyes. “You trying to make me fall in love with you?”
I chuckled with a smirk. “Nah. I just wanted to show you that I see you and congratulate you on stepping out on faith.”
“I wouldn’t have done it without your support.”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe that. You just needed a little push.”
She rolled her eyes and pushed my head to the side. “Why can’t you just accept a compliment?”
All I could offer her was a shrug. “Fuck a compliment. I want a kiss,” I teased. She tucked her bottom lip while I studied the three moles on her face—one by her lip, the other underneath her right eye, and the last one was near her ear. “You’re so beautiful.”
My words were muffled by her lips pressing into mine.
I walked her to the counter, then lifted her on top of it.
She cupped my face while my arms went around her body, and we kissed like lovers who’d always known where home was.
We were both breathing hard when we separated.
She allowed her head to fall back against the cabinet.
“What are we doing, Perfect?” she questioned in the most vulnerable voice.
I cupped her chin. “I’on know, but I like it.” I pecked her lips once more. “I like you.”
She released a shaky breath, allowing her finger to trace an invisible symbol that burned through the fabric of my shirt. “I like you too.”
I tapped her on the nose. “Good, ’cause I wanted to eat your pussy for dessert,” I admitted honestly.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she used her hands to cover her face before dropping them a second later with a serious expression. “Wait. You didn’t get my ice cream sandwiches?”
I pulled them out of the bag so she could see. “Of course, I did, but you have your dessert, and I have mine.” My eyes trailed down between her legs, and I knew she’d creamed the seat of her panties.
“You are so damn nasty.”
I laughed heartily. “Whatever. You like it.”