Charisma #2
Nate said he wanted to see what I brought and I agreed to show him what I’d gotten to wear to the rodeo because I wanted his approval.
The dress I was wearing to the gala was going to be a surprise so I was more than happy to let him see this.
He tried to guilt me into letting him see it but I refused.
He approved of the outfit and I could tell he was pleased that I was going to be matching him with the all black that I’d selected.
I’d gotten other outfits since this rodeo wasn’t going to be one and done so if he didn’t like the idea of me being in all black, I had other color combinations, including an all white ‘fit I couldn’t wait to wear, for him to choose from.
He loved all of it and I was ready for our impromptu fashion show to lead to something else but my rumbling stomach prevented him from being fresh.
We’d grabbed food at the staff cafeteria and were now relaxing in my casita.
“You want me to be real?”
He was laying on my lap and I’d been running my fingers through his hair. He’d had it in two long braids all day but I couldn’t help but play with it. His hat was on the side table and he’d had his eyes closed as I played with the strands.
“Never knew you to be one to lie, Mr. Chisholm-Love.”
He grinned and those beautiful white teeth looked majestic against his deep brown skin.
It amazed me that people couldn’t see that Black people were the standard of perfection.
Maybe it was because I was besotted with this man but his smile was something that had to have been created to be temptation to the masses.
“Nah, I’d never lie to you. That shit is beneath me. I know what I bring to the table and most of the time I would tell people to like it or leave. With you, everything I do is with you in mind.”
“That’s sweet.”
“It’s the fucking truth. But back to what you said.”
“How are you feeling?”
His eyes were closed but I noticed a subtle shift in his features. “I’m nervous.”
“Seriously?”
He laughed at my disbelief and shifted in my lap. “Yeah, you think I wouldn’t be?”
“Honestly, yeah. You seem to be…I don’t know. You’re always so confident and you seem larger than life to me.”
He peeked one eye open at me and grinned. “You must be trying to get that lil pussy ate out here in this casita, Charmy.”
I rolled my eyes because I could tell he was deflecting instead of elaborating on his feelings. “Nathaniel.”
“I see you ain’t say no. Trust me, I’m gonna be good and not act on what I want to.
But yeah, I’m worried. My shoulder was fucked up That’s the reason why Rachel was at the office.
I wanted to make sure everything was still good despite how I’ve felt in practice.
It’s one thing for your mind to believe you’re good but getting confirmation from a professional is the best course. ”
“It’s crazy how I never considered this a sport until I started to work for you. And now I can tell that it really is. It takes just as much skill and strength as someone playing football or basketball or baseball.”
“Yeah but those niggas get equipment. Pads and a helmet and no contact for basketball. But when I perform it’s just me and a bull or me and a horse.
I was never intimidated by that before until I fell.
” His eyes were softer, his features almost reflecting how stunned he’d been to get knocked off the way he had.
I knew how talented he was and last year was the first time he’d been thrown in competition.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I just want you to know that you are brave to even think about getting back on the bull.” I gave him a kiss on the forehead that had him smiling at me.
“Yeah, I got a point to prove. Fear will never be enough to stop a determined man. When you want something it doesn’t matter what obstacles are in your way.”
“This sounds like a double entendre.”
“I ain’t e’en say nothing fresh.” The way he licked his lips he was definitely being fresh.
“You mean if I was yours you’d be acting all chaste and innocent?”
“Nah, I’d be happily pleasuring you in every way possible.”
“Nate—”
“Nah, call me Bucky like you did when you were trying to stake your claim in front of Rachel.”
I tried to hide my embarrassment by laughing but Nate wasn’t going to let me off the hook. “Stop it!”
He sat up keeping himself in my space so I had no choice but to talk to him. “Nah, you not about to gloss over that shit. What was that about, Charmy?”
“I didn’t like how she walked in the place.
” It was the easiest response to what I was really feeling.
The way she’d strode in there had me on high alert.
I wasn’t a territorial person but I knew when a woman thought she owned a place.
When she felt entitled. She’d been snide and with the way she’d come in there looking like she wanted to get fucked instead of like she wanted to work, I knew what was up.
“And how was that?”
“Like she belonged.”
His eyes fluttered down to my lips before he looked back up at me. “Pissed you off?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I didn’t like the remarks she made about you.” He laid back down in my lap content with my honesty.
“Oh, you’re trying to have me hate her for real.
” I hadn’t heard shit she had to say but I was happy the door was open.
It meant Nate didn’t have shit to hide, which made me feel slightly more comfortable with what was going on.
But when he hollered out my name, I knew she was on some bullshit.
I was mad when I’d walked into the room and saw that his shirt was off.
I had to battle myself from telling him to put a damn shirt on.
“Nope. I know you. You’ll convince yourself that you overreacted and then not be as mean to her the next time you see her. She earned that shit. Called you cute.”
“Oh, that ho was calling me ugly?” I started to tap my foot, which made Nate’s head bounce in my lap. He sat and turned to me, laughing.
“Charisma!”
“Nate, you might know woman speak but you don’t know bitch speak. And even your hackles started to raise because it was clear she’d pissed you off when you called me back there.”
“Yeah she was trying to get some dick. When I told her I wasn’t on that type of time she kept trying to get some dick.”
“The fuck?”
“Yeah. Tried to touch my dick and I had to grab her hand.” He looked irritated and that was enough to piss me off more.
“Oh so I gotta swing on her is what you’re telling me. Because that’s assault.” I nodded my head getting more angry. I knew she’d been inappropriate but this was the first time I’d heard the details. I wouldn’t know if I could keep my cool when I saw her again.
“It ain’t a big deal—” He was laughing it off and I had something to end that shit right now.
“Oh it’s not? I’m sure we met because you pulled me out of bar for someone putting hands on me. Are you saying you overreacted then?”
His smile dropped and he looked ready to swing. “Of course not. But I could and did stop Rachel. That muthafucka wasn’t hearing your no.”
“Same situation no matter what you’re trying to say.”
“That’s true but I handled it and her. The best thing about it is that her life is going to be fucked up because she ain’t wanna listen.”
“So you didn’t ruin the man’s life?” I didn’t know what happened to the man in the bar but I didn’t think Nate was the type to let bygones be bygones.
His face switched from annoyed to devious and it felt like he was planning something but couldn’t elaborate.
“Not yet.”
Oh, that’s loaded.
“Is this the point where you tell me you don’t want to get me in trouble so you’re keeping me in the dark.”
“Something like that.” He looked nonplussed at answering the way he did.
I nodded because I knew I didn’t have to warn him to be careful.
Nate and his family felt as wholesome as a sitcom but there was something beneath the surface of all of them.
I didn’t know if it was the resistance that allowed them to keep their land for generations or that their family was started by an outlaw, but it seemed that they could flow between either side of the law with ease. And that shit was sexy as hell.
We were watching one another and I knew that I was finally going to get what I needed tonight.
His eyes had softened, the definition of bedroom, with a smoky, seductive quality as he watched me.
The anticipation of what he was going to do had my heart accelerating and any thought of letting him leave before morning disappeared.
“Nate.”
“Hmm?”
“What were your plans for tonight?” I wasn’t necessarily trying to be coy but I didn’t want to get turned down. And if this man thought he was going to stop at giving me head tonight we were going to have a serious problem.
“My plans?” He leaned over to kiss my lips softly before they made a trail down the side of my neck. I began to squirm, my hands rubbing his shoulders as his lips caused my flesh to heat.
“Yeah, plans. Because if you blow me off tonight, I’m quitting and going back to Florida.”
He chuckled sexily against the side of my neck before I felt his tongue dip into the hollow of my throat, causing my hands to tremble slightly.
“I’m keeping you forever, didn’t I tell you that?
” His hands had joined the party as he pulled me closer to him so that I was sitting on his lap.
My legs were on either side of his, his hair cascading over half of my body as he worked his way down my chest. His hands gripped the hem of my shirt before pulling it over my head.
There was nothing else to say because the moment he lifted his head after my shirt was off, my lips were on his.
Within seconds I was up in the air, his legs lifting us both and I wrapped mine around his waist. I grunted because I felt as though he was wasting time but he pulled back from me and stared into my eyes.