Nathaniel
“THIS IS PROBABLY the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
The water was hitting the center of the lake at the perfect angle to make it look otherworldly.
The soft ripples my paddles made as I glided us through the water added a tinkling sound that had my mind drifting.
I watched as Charisma’s fingers twitched and I realized she was itching to capture our view on some form of medium.
“Wish you’d have brought out your sketchbook?”
Her eyes sparkled and I continued to row as she took in everything happening around us.
It was a sprinkle of rain but it seemed to be concentrated right over the water on the property.
A few weeks had passed and I was gearing up for another rodeo this weekend.
This time it was out of town and the whole family was road tripping to Houston.
I hated that I was leaving earlier than they were but I made plans for Charmy to ride back with me.
“That or even some paint just to get the colors on canvas. I’ll have to do my best to do it from memory later. ”
She grinned the water droplets on her skin making her look even more magical than normal.
“It’s hard to hear that someone is that serious about my work.
Besides my parents or me.” Some of the crates of painting had arrived and her talent was unmistakable.
Charmy had tried to gift me a self-portrait she’d done in oil on canvas but I cut that check with a smile.
She had the nerve to lowball herself but I tripled the amount she was asking and sent the piece to be framed.
I already had a spot picked out in my office in the house for it to hang.
I’d done all that talking about Charmy moving in with me when my Black ass barely lived in the house.
Over the last few weeks, I’d been getting my shit cleaned out of the foreman’s cabin I was using as my primary residence.
There were multiple on the property but that space could’ve gone to one of the fellas in the bunkhouse since I had a house of my own.
“We gotta get you around better people.”
“I know. I’m doing better about that. Look at all the friends I’ve made because of you.
” She’d been chatting with Vashti Holloway and they’d gotten together with Yzzy and Billy for lunch a few times.
I was happy as hell because it meant that Charisma was truly settling in and making herself at home.
“You calling me a friend again?”
“Aren’t the best relationships built on friendship?”
“Uhhh, aren’t you technically with the best friend right now?”
She winced slightly before she smiled. “Ouch, yeah I guess that’s not the best example.”
“Not really but I’m happy to be the exception to all the rules.”
She was studying me again and I was unsure if I’d done something wrong or she was memorizing a feature to use in her art. “You’re like one of those men in romance novels.”
“What do you mean?”
“The ones that were hos but end up being good men. I mean you’re rowing me around on a lake in the rain. Pretty fucking romantic.” The rain had eased up and because of how warm it was today I wasn’t concerned about either of us catching a chill.
“Was I a ho or was I just someone that had fun while I was young? And this ain’t about my dick not working or health issues.
I’m only 32 and a damn athlete. I know so many women are told they shouldn’t believe they can change a man and that’s true.
” I pulled the oars up into the boat so we could just coast on the water.
Charmy narrowed her eyes like my words disgusted her. “You’re not doing well with this.”
“Hold on nie, walk with me.”
She waved her hand around the lake sarcastically. “I’m a literal captive audience.”
“Your ass could swim if you needed to, Charmy.”
“Go on with your spiel, Bucky.”
“Women ignore the red flags that are being thrown at them when they think they can change a man. They try to change a man based on ego and not on what is being shown to them.”
“That’s shitty to blame women.” Her hands went to her hips and the damp t-shirt she was wearing pulled tighter on her frame.
“I’m not blaming women for being shitty.
I’m blaming them for not choosing themselves.
When a muthafucka shows you that he ain’t gonna be about shit no matter what you do or how well you treat him, you gotta drop that dead weight.
I fault Black women for holding on too long to men that don’t mean them any good. ”
“And why do you think that is?”
“Honestly? Conditioning. From inside and outside our community. The world tells you that you’re not supposed to want more because you’re at the bottom of the barrel.
The ones not worth as much. But it’s crazy because the bottom of the barrel is what you have to work harder for.
The shit that’s right on top is easy access for anyone.
So instead of thinking of it as less than, a lot of you have flipped that shit around the way you should have. ”
“So, how is that the reason?”
I knew I’d confused her so I did my best to explain.
“The inside the community part. I know Black women still want Black partners. And for good reason. If my forbearers had been systematically abused by one race of men for generations I wouldn’t want them either.
But some Black men are pedestalling the very people that have and still will lead them to ruin. ”
“Hmm. I see your point. I just wish that we wouldn’t have to fight so hard in the community and out of it.
I’m not faultless in this situation that I’m in.
I signed up for it with my eyes open. But I’m resentful of him not feeling bad about what he’s doing.
It’s like he expects me to put my life on hold because he wants to keep his in the dark. ”
“Black men gotta remember the man part of manhood. Wanting other people to suffer for your comfort ain’t anything a man would do.
” I stretched my legs out and they reached beneath the seat where Charmy was sitting.
She glanced down at my legs before smiling up at me. “What you thinking about, Charisma?”
“That I’m tired of thinking. That you are an incredible man and I appreciate everything that you’ve done.
You have my parents coming in a few weeks on first-class tickets and that doesn’t count how you’re helping me live my dreams. I’ve had multiple calls about some pieces you showcased in the restaurant. I swear you’re a genie or a jin.”
“I’m just a man who loves a woman and wants her to be fulfilled in every way.”
“In every way?”
“Yeah.”
“So if I needed you now, you wouldn’t mind.”
I looked around but couldn’t deny that she had my shit swelling at the idea of having her out here. “Charmy, we on a rowboat.”
“And I need you to rock it.”
“You serious right now?”
“Yes, sir.” She moved carefully up my legs and tugged at my waistband.
I was patting this morning’s me on the back for pulling out basketball shorts instead of jeans.
Charmy pulled my waistband enough for my dick to feel the air.
She eased her body up from her side of the boat and I slid further down to keep our weight balanced so we didn’t tip over.
Charisma brazenly pulled the hem of her shorts and panties to the side and slid down on me.
“Fairy, you gone pull this nut up outta me fast? You know I gotta meet up with Samp soon.” I was on patrol duty tonight and Charmy had agreed to stay at my house.
Part of me wanted her back at the ranch surrounded by my family and our people.
There were patrols on our boundary but nothing like the family compound.
I didn’t want to alarm her by telling her to go back there so I kept my mouth shut.
Charmy nodded and began to work her hips sucking me further into her. My hands went to her breasts caressing them through the damp fabric as I leaned back in the boat, trying to keep my entire body rigid so we didn’t flip over.
Charmy ground her pussy on my dick as the sun broke out from the clouds shining down directly on us.
The boat rocked beneath us as Charmy rocked on my dick soaking me far more than the rain did.
Her walls quivered and I held onto the side of the boat to fuck her back so I wasn’t late.
This moment felt like everything was right in my world.
She was my woman, and nothing was coming between us.
Heaven and home.
“How crazy is it that you’re off the market now too, bruh?”
I sat in the passenger seat of Terrence’s truck as we sat with the lights off to ensure we weren’t seen.
There were pairs of us stationed all over the Valley in specific areas.
Shit had been too quiet and with most of us heading out of town this weekend, we wanted to ensure no one was trying to cause problems before we left.
“Damn, it’s like that? I’m a good dude, T.” I knew he was fuckin’ with me and I wanted to give him the same energy back.
“You know that you’re going to end up dropping down on that knee sooner than later.
That girl is made for you.” Our friendship had never been about competition so I knew he was happy for me.
And he wasn’t wrong about me getting the urge to propose.
It was heavy on my mind and I knew that was the direction we were headed.
“You talking awfully romantic for a nigga I ain’t ever seen on a date.”
His pretty boy ass had the nerve to shrug unbothered with me airing out his truth.
“Ain’t no reason to date when you’re not looking for a relationship.
” And that’s the type of nigga Terrence was.
He wasn’t about to play with some woman’s emotions and when he tired of dealing with women who were cool with keeping it casual he kept to himself instead of playing with somebody’s daughter.
“I forgot that you and Samp’s asses were walking ‘round here like monks.” Terrence wasn’t nearly as bad as my brother but I’d seen him turn down plenty of women that had approached him.
“Somebody had to balance your ho ass out.”