Chapter 5 #2
That made me pause mid sip, and I ended up coughin’, turnin’ my head to the side while I cleared my throat, tryna process what the hell I just heard. “Hold on,” I muttered, lookin’ back at him with my brows raised. “With yo’ brother?”
“Yeah,” he said, noddin’ once like it was just that simple.
I sat there for a second, shakin’ my head slow while I leaned back in my seat again, lettin’ that wild shit settle in my mind. “Sound like them some fraudulent muthafuckas right there,” I replied, my tone low but real. “Both of ’em.”
Kelli let out a dry laugh at that, like he already knew that part. “Yeah,” he replied. “That’s one way to put it.”
I took another sip from my glass and let it sit on my tongue for a second before I swallowed, then I glanced at him again.
“Look,” I said, keepin’ my voice even, “I know we don’t really know each other like that, but you good people. You need somewhere to crash. You need time to get yo’ shit together. Whatever it is, you straight. Stay as long as you need to.”
He looked at me for a second, then nodded like he felt that for real before he leaned forward and extended his hand toward me. “I got you,” he said. “I appreciate that.”
I reached out and clasped his hand, givin’ it a firm shake before I let it go. And then we fell back into the chairs like that, just talkin’. The conversation drifted from one thing to another, and after a while, it circled back around to my situation, to court, and everything I had comin’ up.
“Monday coming quick,” he said, glancin’ at me while he tapped the ash from his blunt.
“Too quick,” I replied, exhalin’ slow while I looked down at the drink in my hand. “But it is what it is. I’mma handle that shit.”
He nodded like he believed that, and for a minute, it went quiet again. It wasn’t awkward or no shit but just in that way where both of us was sittin’ in our own heads for a second.
My phone buzzed against the table beside me, and I reached over and picked it up.
I opened the message and saw Toni askin’ where I was. I stared at it for a second before I typed back.
Thought you was asleep
It ain’t take her long to reply.
I was… I rolled over and you wasn’t here
I let out a breath through my nose and leaned back again, my thumb movin’ over the screen.
I’m out back. I’ll be up in a minute.
A few seconds passed, then another message came through.
I miss you… come upstairs… now
I stared at that one a lil’ longer, my jaw tightenenin’ just a lil’ before I locked my phone and set it back on the table. I ain’t say nothin’ about it out loud, but it sat on me before I picked my glass up and finished what was left in it.
“I’mma head in,” I said, pushin’ myself up from the chair.
Kelli nodded, standin’ up with me while he took one last pull from the blunt before he flicked it out. “Bet.”
I walked him back inside and led him down the hall to one of the rooms on the first floor. I pushed the door open and stepped aside so he could look in. The room was set up already with the bed made and everything in place like it was meant to be used.
“You can take this one,” I told him. “Everything you need in here. If you need anything else, hit my line.”
He stepped in and looked around for a second before he turned back to me, noddin’ once. “I got you. I appreciate it for real.”
I reached out and shook his hand again. “You straight,” I said, then I stepped back and let him get settled while I turned and headed toward the stairs.
The house was quiet as I made my way up, and by the time I hit the hallway, I could already feel the shift in the air, like everything was pullin’ me back to my wife whether I was ready to deal with that or not.
I pushed the door open and stepped into the room. As soon as I did, she turned her head on the pillow and looked at me.
“Can you come here?” she asked, her voice soft like she needed me.
I ain’t say nothin’. I just walked over to the bed and stopped beside it, lookin’ down at her while she looked up at me. For a second, neither of us spoke.
She lifted her arm toward me, her hand reachin’ for mine, and I let her take it without pullin’ away. Then I leaned forward, plantin’ my hands into the mattress on either side of her, my weight pressin’ into the bed while my feet stayed planted on the floor.
The position had me close enough to feel her breath against my skin, and she took advantage of that quickly. Her hands came up to my face as she pulled me closer.
Her lips found mine first, then she moved to my cheek, my jaw and neck, kissin’ all over me like she was tryna make up for somethin’ without sayin’ it out loud.
And I let her…
I ain’t pull away, but I ain’t lean in deeper either. I just stayed there, lettin’ her hands move over me while her lips followed, takin’ whatever she was givin’ without really givin’ it back the same way.
Her hands slid down from my shoulders to my chest, her palms draggin’ slow over my skin like she was tryna feel me for real, and I felt the way her touch lingered there before she moved lower, her fingers tracin’ over my stomach.
She shifted closer on the mattress, her body pressin’ into mine while her hand kept movin’. I let out a light breath through my nose, my eyes still open while I looked down at her.
Her fingers dipped lower, brushin’ over my dick through my pants. I felt my body react outta habit more than anything else, but, for some reason, my mind ain’t follow it.
She paused just enough to look up at me, like she was checkin’ for somethin’, then her hand moved again, more sure this time, her touch softer but deeper, and I could feel what she was tryna do without her sayin’ it.
I ain’t stop her, but I ain’t meet her there either.
After a few seconds, her movements slowed, then stopped completely. I felt the shift in her body before she looked up at me again.
“You okay?” she asked, her voice softer now, like she was startin’ to feel the difference.
I let out a light breath and leaned my head into the side of her neck for a second, restin’ my lips there while I closed my eyes just long enough to center myself.
“I’m straight,” I replied.
She studied me for a second, her hand still restin’ on my dick. “You sure?” she asked.
I ain’t answer that right away. Instead, my hand dropped down to her stomach, spreadin’ over her belly slow, feelin’ the warmth of her skin under my palm, and right then I felt a small push against my hand.
I stilled for a second, then pressed my hand a lil’ firmer over that spot, followin’ it when My’Love moved again, and somethin’ in me shifted.
Toni watched me, her eyes searchin’ my face while my attention stayed with my daughter.
“Is that all you care about… My’Love?” she asked after a second, and her voice carried more than the words did.
I looked down at her for a second. “Why you sayin’ that?” I asked low.
She shrugged a lil’. “I don’t know… just feel like you mad at me.”
I held her gaze for a second longer, then leaned down and pressed my lips to her temple, keepin’ it there just long enough to settle her without sayin’ too much.
“Baby… I just want you to get some rest,” I murmured.
I knew she wasn’t fully satisfied with that, and I could feel it, but she ain’t push it either.
“I’mma take a quick shower,” I added low.
She ain’t wanna let me go, and I could feel it in the way her hands lingered on me, but after a second, she eased up and let me pull back.
I straightened up and stepped away from the bed, then turned and walked into the bathroom, flickin’ the light on before I started the water.
I stripped out my clothes without rushin’, lettin’ them fall where they landed before I stepped into the shower and let the water hit me.
It ran down over my shoulders and my chest. I stood there for a minute with my head tilted forward, lettin’ it run while my mind stayed quieter than it had been all night.
After I got out, I dried off and walked into the closet, grabbin’ a pair of designer briefs from the drawer before I pulled on some grey sweatpants and slid into some socks.
I went back into the room shirtless, cuttin’ off the light as I moved. As soon as I climbed into the bed, Toni was on me.
She shifted close without hesitatin’. She laid her head on my chest, her hand movin’ slow over my abs, her touch soft but constant.
The room was dark, but I could feel everything.
Her lips pressed against my chest, kissin’ over me in slow movements while her fingers traced over my skin. I stared up at the ceilin’, my eyes open while I let her do it.
My hand dropped to her stomach, rubbin’ over her belly slow, feelin’ the warmth of her skin under my palm while she settled against me more.
Neither of us said shit.
She just kept kissin’ me, and I kept my hand movin’ over her, lettin’ the moment sit the way it was without tryna force it into somethin’ else.
After a while, her movements slowed, her head sinkin’ heavier against my chest while her breath evened out, and I could feel her driftin’ off.
I stayed right here with her, my hand still on her stomach, rubbin’ over her like I needed to feel that she was right here, and that her and my baby was straight.
The room stayed quiet, and eventually my body started givin’ in to the weight of everything that had been sittin’ on me all day while I lay here with my wife wrapped against me.
And eventually… I let my eyes close too.