Chapter 27
A few months later
“It’s been a while since I’ve had some child-free time with other adults. I’ve been so absorbed in making this transition work for Quis, I stopped using my village for real.” I looked around the dimly lit lounge.
“I’ve enjoyed the family time, fa sho. However, I’m glad we get some grown folks’ time in. It was nice of your sister to take him tonight.”
“Right.” I agreed.
Marquise had asked me out on our first official date since we’d rekindled our flame. We’d both been so occupied with Quis that time seemed to fly by. Marquise had been staying over most days. He took care of Quis’s daily schedule: He took him to and from school, read to him, and made sure he got his thirty minutes to an hour of outside play when the weather allowed it.
“Tonight, we celebrate us. I want you to release your inhibitions and let the vibes control the night.” Marquise pulled me closer to him as I sipped the lemon drop I’d ordered when we first arrived at the lounge.
We were at an R&B lounge with live singers and a DJ. Between each performance, the DJ would play a mix of 90’s R&B hits. All the performers so far had done a great job. We’d also been knocking back drinks like our lives depended on them. I had a nice buzz going, but my limit would be approaching quickly. Luckily, Moe had settled in months ago and resumed his duties.
I thought back to the first time Marquise met Moe and giggled.
Marquise had stayed home for a few days because of the change in his work schedule. When he pulled up on the following off day, he saw Moe help me out the car. He stalked over to us with nostrils flaring.
“Who the fuck is this?” he asked as he balled his hands into tight fists.
“Jealousy doesn’t look cute on you, stink,” I teased. I grabbed my purse and thanked Moe for getting me home safely.
“Man, don’t piss me off. Who the fuck is this?” Marquise asked as he tugged me behind him.
“Q, get your angry ass on.” I tried to move him out of the way, but he wouldn’t budge.
Moe chuckled and cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, sir. My name is Moe. I’ve been Honey’s driver for about five years. No, I have not fucked your woman. No, I don’t want to fuck her. I am a happily married man with many rugrats of my own to worry about. I do this job because I consider Honey a great friend and employer. She always goes above and beyond to make sure I’m good.”
Once Moe set the record straight, he and Marquise dapped each other up and laughed it off. Men. Once they’d gotten over that, Marquise didn’t give Moe any more trouble. In fact, Moe drove us to the lounge.
He told us to have all the fun we wanted. He’d be outside whenever we were ready to head home. Currently, “Come & Talk to Me” by Jodeci blared from the speakers. Then the music transitioned into “Sweet Lady” by Tyrese.
Marquise stood up and pulled me close to him. He swayed back and forth before he started singing to me.
“Any other day, I would play it cool, but I can’t now, ’cause I want you.” He sang along with Tyrese in an off-key. He serenaded me and made my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard.
“You better sang, baby.”
We did a cute little two-step as he sang some more. “Sweet lady, would you be my sweet love for a lifetime?”
“You’re so cute.”
“I’m serious.” He stopped dancing. “I want to do this thing with you forever. It starts with me officially asking you to be my girlfriend again. I’ve had so much fun these last few months learning the evolved version of you. I want to give Quis a solid, safe, and happy two-parent home to grow up and prosper in.”
“Baby…”
“I’m not asking you to marry me, yet. All I want is to make this shit official. Will you be my girl?”
I grinned. “Yes.”
He pulled me into a breathtaking kiss. The power of his lips against mine made my heart beat at alarming rates. Even after all these years, he made me feel like that young, clueless virgin all over again. Marquise was special. He was mine.
* * *
“Home sweet home,” I sang as I pushed open the door.
I stumbled into the house, drunk and giggling. Marquise didn’t drink nearly as much as me, but he’d had a nice buzz throughout the night. We’d made Moe stop and get us some wings that we demolished on the ride home. Marquise helped me up the stairs to the bathroom. I was drunker than I thought because the world swam around me in the shower.
“Yo’ drunk ass.” Marquise washed me really good before he ushered me to sit on the edge of the bed until he finished washing himself.
I happily obliged. I didn’t know how much time passed before he came back in the room. All I knew was that the sight of him had my mouth drooling.
“You like what you see?” he asked with a smirk.
“I love what I see.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Do something about it then.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Use me however you need me to get that nut off, baby.”
I stood up and pushed him onto the bed. He chuckled as he propped his head up on a pillow to get a good view of what I had planned.
I skipped over to the Bluetooth speaker on the dresser and connected my phone. I played my sex playlist with a diverse collection of songs to help get the fun started. I swayed my hips to Lloyd’s raspy voice on “Feels So Right.”
I tugged on my nipples as I slowly walked over to the edge of the bed. I played with my nipples and rubbed different parts of my body, which resulted in my pussy dripping my wetness down my leg.
“Look at that pussy, leaking without even being touched. I need you to sit on my face.”
“Aht. As much as I want to ride that sexy ass mouth of yours, I have other plans for you. You told me to use your body to get my nut off, and that’s what I intend to do.” I climbed onto the bed as “Drown in It” by Syd blared from the speakers.
I mounted him like a professional bull rider. I tilted my head down to spit on his dick. I massaged the spit along the length of his shaft and held it firmly in my hand. I placed his tip against my clit and ground my bead against his throbbing erection.
“How does that feel?” he asked as he held my waist and allowed me to use him as my personal dildo.
“Mmm. This feels so good.” I tilted my head back and savored in the blissful friction.
“You finna cum?”
“Mmm.”
“Don’t cum yet.”
I whined. “Why? I’m so close.”
“Hold it in. Get to the peak and slide it all the way in.”
“I-I… Shit…” I hissed in ecstasy as I listened to his guidance. The feel of his dick fully inside of me was beyond any description words could provide. I planted my feet into the mattress and placed my hands on his firm chest. I rode him like a cowgirl. Front to back, front to back, side to side. My movements were calculated for only a few moments before the pleasure became too much.
My back slumped as my legs shook from the intensity of the orgasm.
“Whew…” I giggled as I caught my breath.
“Now it’s my turn.” Marquise flipped me over and spread my legs. He fit between my legs and fucked my screws loose. I didn’t know how many times he’d hit my spot, but I was drained of all my juices by the time he climbed off of me.
After he’d finished, he went into the bathroom to clean himself up. When he returned, he wiped me down and pulled me to the head of the bed. We cuddled.
He rubbed my ass as I trailed my finger along his tattoos.
“What’s up with you?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“How’s work? What you got planned for the city? I know you were doing cookbook tours and shit before Granny Janie passed. I just wanted to check in and see what all you got on your plate right now.”
I smiled. “Work is busy. I’ve been trying to manage different buildings across the country without making flights. Most of my days are filled on Zoom calls with my assistants while they’re walking the restaurants for me. I canceled the rest of my travels for the year because I wanted Quis to get as much family time as possible.”
“I feel you. I appreciate all the time you’ve dedicated to placing roots in the city. I want to help take some weight off of your shoulders.”
“I don’t need any help?—”
“I know you don’t need the help, but I want to do it. I want to spoil you like I used to. I want to invest in you and my art.”
I poked out my bottom lip. “Aww, pooh!”
“Don’t do that.” He chuckled.
“I love you.”
“I love you too. I know you sacrificed a lot to get your parents back on track financially. I also know how much you enjoy being spoiled. I got you. I want to take over your bills and let you use your money to upgrade shit.”
I leaned up to kiss his lips. “Thank you, baby. I’m not one to pocket watch, but how can you afford to do that?”
“I had some cash locked away in a safe before I went down. Uncle Merlot also gave me some parting ways money. He said he wanted me to give you and Quis the life y’all deserve without struggling to do so.”
“That was nice of him.”
“Yeah. It surprised me, fa sho.”
I rubbed his chest. A beat of silence passed before I spoke again.
“I’m excited to see where life takes us this time around.”
“Me too.”
He pecked my forehead. His warmth and the soothing beat of his heart lulled me to sleep. My final thought was this was what I’d needed all those years ago. My soulmate was back in my life, and we could be a family again.