Chapter 7 #3
“Oh, wait a minute. Let’s get one thing straight.
I’m trying to get there. I’m always trying to get there.
Since I pulled out, every thought I have leads to getting back in that oasis.
I’m just letting you know that’s not my ultimate goal.
My ultimate goal is having you give me a son, or another daughter, and we live happily ever after with our three kids. ”
“Every time I think you’re finally acting sane, you say something off the wall.”
“You wouldn’t have my baby, Jameela?”
“I don’t know if you missed it, but I already have a baby. I practically just had the one I got.”
“I always wanted three kids though. We only have two.”
“Oh well, excuse me. I wasn’t aware of a we.”
“You’re excused. I’m not trying to just make you another baby mama, Jameela. How do you feel about marriage?”
I burst out laughing, regaining my composure before answering his question. “I didn’t know you were drinking.”
“I’m not. That’s a question we need to get out of the way early. I don’t want either of us to have unrealistic expectations.”
“Yet, I feel like that’s exactly what you’re trying to give me.”
“I don’t want to mislead you, Jameela. I want to fuck you for the rest of my life.”
“Well, aren’t you romantic?”
“I don’t know how to be that, but I’ll try for you. I can’t ever let another man know what it feels like to be inside you.”
“What?” I laughed.
He lifted his brows but didn’t join in on my laughter. “I can’t let another man fuck you, Jameela. Never again. I need you to cut off everything you had going on before you let me have you.”
“Come again? I don’t remember letting you have me.”
There was that sexy chuckle again. “Me either. Can I get a refresher?”
“Whatever. Good night, Nicholas. Thank you for tonight. I didn’t know how much I needed it.”
“Wait a minute, why’re you trying to rush me off the phone?” he quizzed.
“I wasn’t trying to rush you off the phone, but I’m sleepy. I’m probably about to go to bed.”
“Let me sleep with you.”
“And how is that supposed to work?” I asked, wondering what kind of bright idea he would come up with.
“Just prop your phone up on the pillow, and I’ll do the same thing.”
“Why does that sound both creepy and sweet?”
“I don’t know, but I’m not ready to stop looking at that pretty face just yet. Let me lay with you, Jameela. I’ll be busy all day tomorrow and probably for the next couple of days. I might not have time to call, let alone look you in your face. Come on, baby mama.”
I smirked to fight back the grin creeping up on my face. Nicholas King was absolutely ridiculous, and for some reason, I was crazy about him. Something in my gut told me to run as far away from him as I could. So far, I hadn’t found anything on him that would make me think my gut feeling was right.
Nicholas didn’t have a record and was practically a ghost aside from a few mentions of business ownership. Maybe it was the existence of his daughter’s mother that gave me pause. I didn’t do the baby mama drama thing. I had enough of that going on of my own.
Just because he had a child with a woman didn’t mean that he was still involved with her.
As crazy as I was about Tremaine for a short period of time, right now, he couldn’t touch me with a ten-foot pole.
That didn’t mean that was the situation with Nicholas and his daughter’s mom.
I needed to make sure there wasn’t anything there before I let things go too far between us.
“Do you mind that I sleep with the TV on?” I asked him.
“As long as you’re not watching those reality shows. I’m not falling asleep to that.”
“Look now, you don’t get to make the rules, but I watch cartoons at night.”
“Oooh, but you wanted to clown me for being a pot head.”
“Don’t tell me that’s what y’all call yourselves for watching that witch movie.”
He shook his head, only making me burst out laughing. “Girl, I’m trying hard not to call off this engagement.”
“Boy, shut up.” I laughed as I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed.
“Ma, get comfortable. We don’t sleep with all those clothes on.”
“I am comfortable. You just want to get me naked.”
“Guilty, now strip. I’ll go first. I sleep naked unless my daughter is here. I don’t want her to have to wonder if it’s OK to come in my room when she’s this small.”
“What if you have company over?”
“We’ve actually never been in that situation. You’re the first female friend that I’ve introduced her to that I wanted to fuck.”
“Um, . . . I have the strange feeling that I should feel honored, not exactly sure why.”
“Oh, you definitely should,” he said as he shed his shirt over his head.
My eyes roved over him as he settled in. I was instantly turned on by the light dusting of hair on his chest.
“Like what you see?” he asked.
My eyes quickly flashed to his, but it was too late to try to hide the way I was gawking at him.
That didn’t mean I wouldn’t try. I rolled my eyes before following suit and removing my shirt.
I lay down and placed my phone on the bed next to me.
I looked over at Nicholas’s smiling face once I got comfortable.
“I missed those pretty ass titties just as much as I missed your face.”
“You just don’t care what you say.”
“Yes, I do. I told you that I want to make all of my intentions clear.”
“And what are they again?”
“I want you to be someone I know and fuck for the rest of my existence.”
“And why is that, Nicholas?”
“Because you’re ambitious, beautiful, selfless, and fine as hell. I knew all of that before I realized how good of a mom you are and how much my princess likes you. You feed the homeless, woman. You know how many people see the less fortunate and turn a blind eye to them?”
“You really know how to lay it on thick.”
“I know how to show and tell you how I feel. I’m going to be busy for a few days, but I don’t want you to think that I’ve forgotten about you. I want to see you when I get back, Jameela. I’ll set something up for us. You just come and make your man smile.”
“My man, huh?”
“I been your man since you gave me that pussy, Jameela. All that running and playing hard to get shit died that night.”
“Oh, that’s nice to know. I didn’t realize.”
“It’s a pleasure to keep you informed.” He winked, causing me to roll my eyes again.
“Whatever. I’m going to play along with this game you’re playing, but as soon as I don’t like the way it’s going, I’m pulling the plug, Nicholas. I don’t have time to play.”
“Neither do I. Get some rest, and I’m going to try to do the same thing. I have an early meeting.”
“Why are you letting me keep you up with my babbling then? You should’ve said something.”
“Jameela, lay down so I can sleep. I haven’t slept worth a damn since I laid on those soft titties. I can’t wait to wrap my arms around you all night long again.”
Instead of immediately firing back a reply, I simply smiled, remembering how good I slept when I was next to him. That was until he woke me up in the middle of the night, spearing me with hard dick. Even after that, he sent me back into another hard slumber.
“Good night, Nicholas.”
“Good night, habibti.”
I stretched my arms and legs as I finally convinced myself to wake up and go to the bathroom. Once I worked up enough strength, I sat on the side of the bed and stuck my feet in my shoes.
“I don’t think I realized that you snored when we spent the night together. That pussy must’ve really put my ass to sleep.”
It took a second for me to figure out where the voice came from, but as soon as it registered that it was Nicholas who was talking, I burst out laughing.
“You almost gave me a heart attack. I hope you know that.”
“You fart in your sleep. I hope you know that.”
I laughed. “That’s a damn lie.”
“You let a few off. You might need to cut back on the late-night snacks.”
“Let me guess, you’re calling off the engagement now.”
“Hell naw, I’m moving up the wedding date. That’s married people shit.”
“Whatever, fool. Did you sleep at all?”
“No, I’ve been doing some networking with my overseas contacts.”
“Do you ever sleep?”
“On occasion. I’m about to get a couple of hours before my workout this morning.”
“What time do you work out?”
“Usually five thirty; I might wait until six if I have Amira.”
“Oh no, you’re too dedicated for me.”
“My hard work pays off. I think you agree with that by the way you were slobberin’ last night.”
“I’m not even going to respond to that. Let me let you get some sleep.”
“Before you go, how much do you weigh? I need to adjust my workout.”
“I’m not telling you how much I weigh, crazy. What the hell does my weight have to do with your freaking workout?”
“First of all, I’ve already seen every inch of you, and I love it all from the inside out. I wish you were naked all the time, but civilization calls for clothes. I need to know how much you weigh so I can make sure I’m always able to toss you up like a salad.”
“In that case, I was like two twenty the last time I checked.”
“Oh, you’re way below my limit. That ass is getting tossed.”
“Boy, shut up.”
“I’m not playing, but let me let you go tinkle. I can’t have nothing happening to my new favorite treat.”
“Bye, Nicholas.”
He chuckled. “Good night, Jameela.”
“This baked chicken is phenomenal,” I said, picking up my glass of sweet tea and taking a swig to wash down what was left of my meal.
“So are you, Jameela.”
“Why do you always say stuff like that?” I asked, rolling my eyes playfully.
In the past week, Nicholas and I met three times for lunch in one of the casinos restaurants. Both of them seemed to have amazing chefs. I wasn’t sure which I liked best, the steakhouse or the seafood restaurant.
Bella loved playing with Ms. Ramirez’s grandchildren, so I’d been letting her stay at her house for an hour or so while I spent time with Nicholas.
He’d insisted that I bring her along, but I wasn’t ready to take that step just yet.
I barely wanted her dad around her at this point, let alone a man I’d just met.
“Because I mean it. The chicken is good though. I’ve almost tried everything on the menu. They don’t miss.”
“Dang, you must eat here every day.”
“Every single meal.”
“What? Are you serious, Nicholas? When was the last time you had a home-cooked meal?”
“I’m never home, for one thing. I’m always here.”
“What about breakfast?” I asked.
“I don’t eat breakfast.”
“Oh Lord, I’m in the twilight zone. I love breakfast.”
He laughed as he leaned closer and put his elbows on the table. “It’s not so bad.”
“I’m gonna cook for you. I can’t have you eating restaurant food day in and day out. There’s no telling how much sodium is in this stuff.”
“You worried about me, Jameela?”
“I’m worried about your heart and your clogged up arteries.”
“You never did tell me what you do for a living. I’m starting to think you’re in the medical field.”
“No.” I laughed as I shook my head.
“What do you do?”
“I’m not doing anything right now. Or did you forget?”
Part of me wanted to tell Nicholas that I was a police officer, but in my experience, men were immediately intimidated when they found out that I was a cop.
It wasn’t something I wanted to discuss right now.
Things between us were so easy. I didn’t want to complicate things before I knew if it was worth it.
“I’m just glad you have free time to spend with me when I can’t get away. I’m starting to allow myself to have more downtime now that my daughter is getting older. She gives me a reason to take a break and live life. I feel like I have a new reason.”
I didn’t try to hide my smile. “Maybe you do.”
“Now back to this home-cooked meal.”
“No wonder you’re not answering the phone. I’m not used to you not being cooped up in your office. I got someone for you to meet,” a man said as he approached the table. I only gave him a second glance because he looked familiar. Neither he nor Nicholas seemed to notice my double take.
“Darius, this is my lady, Jameela. Give me a second and I’ll come holler at you,” Nicholas instructed, only giving the man his attention until he was done speaking.
“All right, I’ll be at the high rollers bar.”
After the man was out of earshot, Nicholas offered an explanation. “That’s my cousin Darius. He’s in charge of networking and relationships. He’s always got somebody for me to meet.”
“No one’s used to you taking a lunch break, I see.”
Every time I joined him for lunch, there was some kind of interruption, no matter how brief.
“I’m starting to see that. We’re going to start leaving the building.”