Chapter 6
Anika took the walk of shame the next morning and ended up at my place. “How was your night?” I asked.
“That Dante has a dick on him.” Anika’s hair was piled on top of her head. “He knocked the Sonic coins out of this pussy. What about you? Did you and Aldridge get along okay?” Her face lit up. “Were we both on our knees slobbing knobs last night? Twinsies.”
“No. I did not slob Aldridge’s knob.”
“You’re no fun.” She opened my fridge looking for God knows what.
“He’s my ex.”
Anika hopped her shoulders. “I fuck my exes all the time. It’s not unheard of.”
“I know, but it’s never a good idea to spin the block.”
“Shit, the way Aldridge was looking at you last night he clearly wanted you to hop on top and go for a ride.” She rolled her hips.
I had to agree he did give me his full attention.
At least he did when Dante and Anika weren’t making everything uncomfortable.
And then he almost came to blows with Dante over me.
I’d never known Aldridge to play about me, and it would appear some habits hadn’t died.
If a man looked at me sideways, he was always ready to defend my honor.
When a guy in my Health and Diversity class tried to get too familiar one time, Aldridge showed up to the next class and set him straight.
Despite all of this, I didn’t want to acknowledge Anika’s statement. “I’m still mad at you by the way.”
“For getting you out the house?”
“For conspiring with Aldridge.”
“He asked for you and I just made things happen.” After examining the fridge and pantry, she closed each one, coming up empty-handed. “Why yes, Danessa I would love a cup of coffee.”
“You are capable of making it yourself.”
Anika plopped onto my couch. “I’ve had a rough night and you’re nice and rested.”
I added a fresh pod to the coffee maker and set a mug underneath. “Do you want the cinnamon coffee cake creamer or the caramel macchiato?”
“Caramel, please.”
Pulling the creamer from the fridge, I added a generous serving to her mug.
“So, I’m just going to state the obvious here. Aldridge is looking real sexy. The baby face is gone and his lineup is on point. Shit even his arms were glowing and well moisturized.”
“Do you have a point?” I swatted at her feet so she’d sit up before handing her the mug and taking a seat next to her.
“My point is that man is like fine wine.”
“I honestly hadn’t noticed. When I see him, I still see the same old Aldi.”
“Liar, liar, pants on fire. He even walks differently, probably to compensate for all that dick.”
“Excuse me?” I’d never really discussed Aldridge’s penis or his proficiency in the bedroom.
“I’ve conducted thorough testing on all manner of men. And the ones with big dicks just have a certain walk. Aldridge has it, Dante has it. That dude from that New York cop show has it.”
“Stabler?”
“Yes, Stabler. I’d fuck Stabler.”
My face lit up. “You know who’d I’d fuck?”
“I’m all ears.” Anika crossed her legs, getting cozy.
“Now just hear me out. The lead singer from the rock group Void with all the tattoos.”
“The one with the topknot?” She cringed.
“I know, I know but take away the topknot and he could fuck me on the kitchen counter.”
“Sometimes I find it hard to believe we’re sisters.”
“Shut up.” I gave her a playful shrug.
“So when are you going to fuck Aldridge?”
If anyone else asked me that at nine o’clock on a Sunday morning, I would be surprised but my sister rarely shocked me any longer. “Been there, done that, had the pregnancy scare.”
“Don’t act like you don’t want to do it again. You were gone off of that man.”
“That’s only because he was my first. But I’ve added some miles to the pussy since then.”
“When it comes to sexual experiences it’s Mary, mother of our Lord and Savior, that nun I met once, and then you.”
Don’t listen to Anika. She had me sounding like a born-again virgin.
I’d dated many men and was involved in all types of carrying on.
But in the last year or so I felt burnt out.
Tired of meeting a guy who pretended he liked all the things I did only to have them turn out to be flakes once they hit a few times.
Men saw me as a conquest. I didn’t kiss on the first date, and I required several interactions before we became physical.
Most men were in it for the thrill of the chase, not because they saw me as unique or appreciated the value I could add to their lives.
“I’m sorry if I’m more reserved than you.”
“Reserved, bitch you could’ve been a basketball wife, and if the marriage didn’t work you would’ve had numbers of rich players and celebrities from one end of the country to the other.”
“You sound like Mom.”
“Sometimes Mom is actually right.”
“Mom thinks we should marry for money and not love.”
“Tons of bitches marry for love and end up brokenhearted with a negative balance in their bank account.”
“Look, I completely understand wanting someone who is able to provide. No one wants to struggle. But if I had to choose love and struggle or money and unhappiness, I’m going for love.”
“You know for a college graduate you are hella dumb.”
“You can always give me my coffee back and dip.”
“I’m just saying you had love and Aldridge’s upcoming payday, and you walked away.”
“Because I didn’t want to be a basketball wife. I’ve heard stories about wild parties and infidelity. And fame changes people. I didn’t want to watch Aldi, my Aldi became unrecognizable.”
“He seemed real regular degular to me last night.”
Anika was right, not much had changed. Maybe he was a bit more confident and yes he was finer, but he didn’t seem jaded by fame or out of touch with the real world.
When I was near him, he felt like the man I fell in love with.
If he hadn’t gotten traded to Vegas we would never have crossed paths, and I could live in the delusion he was a womanizing asshole.
Being around him was like returning to a childhood home where so much was familiar, the creak of the stairs, the tile in the kitchen, the sound of the wind against the vinyl siding.
So much remained the same, but there were hints of change you didn’t quite recognize.
“I’m just not built like you and Mom. I’m sorry I don’t want to be the Thelma to your Louise when it comes to sexcapades.”
“I swear favor is wasted on the good girls. You do know you can’t take your low body count to heaven with you, right?”
“I don’t care about stuff like that. I have to know a guy before we have sex and most men end up eliminating themselves, because the more I get to know about them the less I like them. You do realize the bar is in hell when it comes to dating.”
“Yes, I’m out here too, but that’s why you have to move like the guys do.”
“I don’t have the energy to play games. I just want to meet a man who’s funny, loves his mother, and fucks me within an inch of my life.”
Anika’s tone became serious. “I want that too, but until the right man comes along, I’m going to keep scamming and ghosting these fuckboys.”
We both shared a laugh. “Is Dante a fuckboy?”
“He’s King Fuckboy. An arrogant know-it-all who thinks he is God’s gift to women. I’m going to have so much fun breaking him.”
“He’s Aldridge’s friend, so maybe go easy on him.”
Anika shook her head. “No mercy, every rich jerkoff can get it.”
“How many bedrooms?” Aldridge asked as we toured the primary bedroom.
This house was in Sunrise Manor; an area considered the best kept secret in East Las Vegas.
I chose this neighborhood because it was very different from the previous one.
It had a homey family feel and some impressive pieces of real estate.
The curb appeal was there. This was the type of neighborhood where people actually waved hi when you passed by.
Kids riding their bicycles outside while neighbors gossiped.
“Seven.”
“Seven bedrooms all to myself.”
“You live in Vegas now, I’m sure you’ll have tons of family looking to visit.”
“They can stay in a hotel. I’m not going to be their personal tour guide. I got shit to do.”
In the bathroom he took note of the floor. “I like the marble.”
“They’re heated.”
“No shit.”
“Take off your shoes.”
“No, you take off your shoes.”
Kicking off my heels, I hit the switch that controlled the floor. “Now you.”
Aldridge released a loud sigh but he complied, removing his slides and socks. “So, when does the magic happen exactly?”
“Give it a chance to heat up.” We stood in the middle of the massive bathroom, our toes wiggling on the tile that was quickly transitioning from cold to warm. Even his size sixteen feet were attractive. He must get biweekly pedicures.
“I think it’s kicking in.” He stepped from side to side.
“And just look at the view from the bathtub.” I bit down on my lip. This home was surrounded by mature trees and offered tons of privacy.
Aldridge walked over to where I was standing, hovering inches behind me.
If I just scooched back a smidge, my ass would probably brush up against it.
And by it I meant his dick, something I’d been thinking about a lot lately.
The weight, the girth, the warmth it emitted when resting in the palm of my hand.
“It’s nice,” he said.
I turned to face him. “The view or the floors.”
“The view, the floors, the company.” He leaned in bridging the height gap between us. “I like this place.”
“Shut the fuck up.” I beamed.
“I didn’t say I was ready to put in an offer. But I like the vibes.”
“The vibes are immaculate.”
“Danessa?” When he spoke my name, it felt weighted like my moniker was a sacred vow.
“Yes.”
“I think I’m going to need heated floors. It’s a nonnegotiable.”
“I’ll add it to your file.” He stepped back suddenly, and a tingling sweeped up my back and across my face, my stomach dropping at the sense I was exposed. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, and I was now fully aware I was sans shoes in some stranger’s bathroom.
“Can you believe this? If you told me when I was sixteen my basketball dream would have me standing on heated marble floors in a bathroom as big as my childhood home, I would never have believed it.”
“You really came up with a plan and executed it. You deserve all the good things.”
“We, we deserve all the good things.”
“I’m still trying to figure my shit out.” I stepped back into my shoes.
“You own a condo, a business you started, and don’t act like the bottoms of your shoes aren’t red. You’re doing great.”
“I’m doing okay.”
“Don’t play with me. I will not accept any Danessa Irwin slander. You deserve the world and it’s clear you’re claiming it for yourself.”
One thing about Aldridge, he’d always been my biggest supporter.
If I told him I wanted to pull the moon from the sky, he wouldn’t tell me it was impossible, he’d ask if I wanted company.
Growing up I didn’t have that kind of support.
My mother’s love always came with conditions.
I was a straight A student, class president, on the debate club, prom queen and my mother didn’t care.
Correction when I told her I was crowned prom queen you’d have thought I’d told her I’d won Miss America or something.
I don’t think I’d ever seen her prouder.
Second correction, I think she was beaming when I brought Aldridge home for the first time.
Aldridge didn’t notice, but I could distinctly make out dollar signs behind her eyes.
For my mom he was our meal ticket. Which is one of the reasons I ended things.
Aldridge had enough people to support within his family.
He didn’t need three more grown adults leeching off him.
“Do you want to see the wine cellar?”
“I don’t drink wine, it gives me headaches. While I like the house, I don’t love the location.”
“You don’t know diddly squat about this area.”
“It’s far as hell.”
“Allow me to change your perspective.”
“I’m a stubborn man who isn’t easily persuaded.”
“Grab your shoes and follow me.”