Chapter 17 #5
“Is this too close?” he asked as he put his hand on the small of her back and pulled her in.
Whatever he wore instantly enveloped her in a hug.
He smelled divine, and his arms were strong.
He was so big he felt like a fortress, like he could hide her behind his hold of protection and grant access as she deemed fit.
“No,” she said. She placed her hands on his lapel as they swayed to the music.
“I’m trying to think of the most interesting questions I can ask you before I miss my shot,” Harlow said as he looked down at her.
“Oh Lord,” she replied, a bit nervous.
“This might be my only chance to get to know you. Can’t ask the wrong thing. The questions are important,” he joked.
“You right, they are,” she agreed. He was pulling easy smiles out of her.
This was the most carefree time she had experienced in years.
There was something about a man flirting innocently with a woman that felt natural.
The way he looked at her. The effort in the way he chose his words.
The exhibition of the best version of himself.
Courtney hadn’t experienced this, well, ever.
She was a grown-ass woman who had never dated.
She had never even allowed a man to pursue her because she had an old head at home who she never wanted to upset.
She had always tried to prove to James she was good enough.
She had always chased him. She had always earned him.
Usually, with sex. Her currency to the relationship was keeping him pleased.
She had never felt this dynamic, and it was so carefree and fun that it made her feel something she hadn’t felt before.
The power of femininity. He desired her, and not just her body.
He wanted her conversation. He wanted to learn her. It felt organic.
“What’s your favorite movie?” he asked.
“Really? That’s the question you came up with?” she asked, hollering in amusement.
“Dawg, that’s one of the most important questions a man needs to know! That can establish a lot out the gate. Two people who like totally different movies can lead to a lifetime of miserable-ass movie dates,” he reasoned.
She nodded.
“True, true,” she agreed, tickled. “Okayyy, so I got a few. Can I give you top three?”
“The fact that you need to pick three is a plus,” he shot back as he spun her on beat to the music and then pulled her right back to safety.
“The Devil Wears Prada…” she answered, looking to the sky as she thought of the other two.
“A chick flick, but Meryl Streep can never be a wrong answer,” he commented.
“Hmm, let’s see… Titanic,” she continued.
“I’m seeing a painful pattern here,” he said, gritting his teeth.
“What?” she exclaimed. “Titanic is a classic!”
“Long-ass romance where my boy got the short end of the stick at the end. She could have shared the damn door,” Harlow criticized.
Courtney hadn’t smiled this much in her entire life.
“Okay, okay, my final choice,” she said, thinking hard. “Denzel; Remember the Titans.”
“There she go,” he said in approval. “You saved it with that one. We might be able to catch a movie or two.”
“Yeah, maybe,” she said, whimsically as she stared up at him.
Courtney blushed as he bent down to whisper in her ear. “I’d really like the opportunity to take you out. I think you’re beautiful. Way too beautiful to be waiting on anyone to show up. If there is a ring, I’d like to throw my hat in, even if it’s just casual, like friends enjoying a bad romance.”
Courtney inhaled sharply, and before she could answer, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Shy standing there.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said. Shy stepped closer to her and whispered, “Bitch, James is here. He’s by the bar.”
Courtney’s body stiffened and she came back to reality as she took a step back from Harlow.
“Thanks for the dance, Harlow,” she said.
“Anytime,” he said, nodding as he placed a hand over his heart.
Courtney walked away and there was a sense of urgency pushing her high heels across the dance floor. She felt like she had been caught cheating, and from the look on James’ face, he felt like she had, too.
“Hey,” she greeted. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
She hated how nervous she felt, how sour her stomach was. Her entire nervous system activated at the anticipation of his reaction.
“Yeah, I can see that,” James replied dryly as he swallowed the stiff drink he had in his hand. “Who the fuck is that nigga?”
“He’s nobody. I just met him. He just asked me to dance, that’s all,” Courtney said.
James didn’t rush to respond, and she knew his silence was purposeful. He always weaponized his engagement with her, and it always worked. Her worry over what he might be thinking sent her body into overdrive. He was angry.
“James?” she whispered.
“You lucky I ain’t slapped the shit out you yet,” James said, without looking at her.
“Why are you mad? You were late. It was innocent,” she defended. She was in distress, so she was naturally louder than she intended to be.
“Lower your motherfucking voice,” James sneered, grabbing her waist, and digging his fingers into it painfully as he discreetly pulled her closer.
“Are you drunk? Did you come here drunk? What is wrong with you?” she cried, eyes watering.
“Bring your ass outside, let me talk to you,” he said. It was the way he spoke to her that revealed his disdain.
“I’m not going outside,” she said.
“Oh, you not?” he asked, challenging her.
“No, I’m not going outside with you,” Courtney hissed. “I’m done with this shit. I should have never even accepted this invitation. I thought you would try. I thought we would both try.” Her eyes were betraying her, and she didn’t want to cry in the middle of this event.
“Bitch, you ain’t trying, you in here hoeing,” James said. It was sinister the way he could undo her without raising his tone.
“Because of a dance? I’m a ho now? Okay,” she said, scoffing.
“I can’t talk to you when you’re on this level.
” She knew she needed to be the one to keep a level head because engaging would only add fuel to his fire.
He had decided her intent the moment he laid eyes on her on that dance floor.
They would have a blowout fight, and he wouldn’t come out of this vengeful rage until after it had already gone too far.
It was the cycle of their entire relationship.
She didn’t want to do it here. She was tired of doing it at all.
“Probably sucked that nigga off in the bathroom,” James said. He was going lower and lower, and Courtney was on the verge of tears.
“Everything good over here?”
Courtney was so grateful when Loyal stepped between them and motioned for the bartender.
“Let’s get my guy here a ginger ale,” Loyal ordered.
“Everything’s good, man. Thanks for inviting me and my girl. This is…”
“Courtney. Yeah, we’ve met,” Loyal said.
“Met when?” James asked, unable to holster his jealousy.
Loyal turned sharp eyes to James because he heard the undertone of unreasonable jealousy.
“Yo, my nigga. You coming in here with too much heat on your chest. That’s a mistake,” Loyal said, holding out his hand for a shake.
James reluctantly took his hand and Loyal squeezed that hand so tightly that it felt like James’ bones were breaking.
“I know you said you getting some things together up top, my nigga. Don’t let your mind get too lost that you forget where you at and who you talking to,” Loyal whispered.
Loyal took a step back and turned to Courtney.
“James is going to let you enjoy the rest of the night with your girls. I need him to handle something for me. I’m not sure if he told you, but he’s the new general foreman of one of my construction sites. ”
Courtney was uneasy as she replied, “No, I didn’t know that. That’s amazing. Congrats, babe.”
James’ nostrils flared, but he replied, “Yeah, that’s what I invited you here to tell you. That I’m working on some stuff.”
“You got a lot of work to do,” Loyal stated in a tone that implied so much more. “Hard work. Let me walk you out and let you know what I need you to do. Court, I’m sorry to have to end y’all night early, but if he gon’ be the boss, this can’t wait. I think Ellie’s looking for you.”
Courtney nodded as she watched James and Loyal exit.
Ellie browsed through the room, admiring the art as she called Sloan for the third time.
“Girl, where are you? This nigga’s baby mama just said some shit to me that fucked my mind up! I need youuu. I’m so confused,” Ellie hissed into the phone. She hadn’t worked up the nerve to return to the main ballroom, instead, she gave Loyal the space to be the boss as she processed Tisa’s words.
A threesome? It was so far out of bounds for a woman like Ellie.
She loved good dick, but she didn’t want to share it.
She wanted to confront Loyal, but she didn’t want to bring drama to this classy event.
Opting to stay out of the way felt like the right move.
She kept waiting for him to come back and check on her, but after half an hour of solitude, she figured that he would be monopolized for most of the evening.
“Ellie!” she turned to find Courtney yelling her name frantically.
She rushed to the hallway. “What? What’s wrong?” Ellie asked. She could hear the panic in her friend’s voice, and without even knowing what was wrong, she knew something was off.
“Ellie, I think Loyal is putting James out,” Courtney panted frantically.
“What happened?” Ellie exclaimed.
“He’s tripping. He showed up over an hour late and walked in on some jealous shit because I was dancing with Loyal’s brother.”
“His brother?” Ellie shot back, trying to follow the chain of events. Ellie didn’t even know Loyal had a brother.
“James is drunk, and he was a little aggressive, but…”
Ellie’s face twisted up. “Aggressive? But nothing. He got aggressive with you?” Ellie asked.