Chapter 16 #2
“All you need is something to wear on the plane. Once you’re in my space, I’m taking all that shit off and you don’t have to wear anything.”
“I’m going to need at least one other outfit,” she says, amused. “You’ve gotta feed me and take me out to eat.”
“I already know what I’m eating. I can’t taste you on my lips anymore and I don’t like that shit at all,” he says and the full intent of his words travel through her phone and land on her clit.
Smiling, she says, “Nasty ass but I like it though.”
“I know you do. But real talk, I can’t wait to have you in my space. I’m gonna treat you so good and fuck you so right you not gon’ want to leave.”
“Well, shit. Let me find this flight now,” she says, simpering.
“Bet. I’ll send my credit card.”
“Okay,” she says, then ends the call. Immediately, she opens the Federal Airlines app.
Before she can enter her destination, a text comes through with pictures of the front and back of his credit card, a real one, not one of the fakes he uses on jobs.
This black card clearly has Akeem Simmons printed on the bottom left corner. He really trusts me.
It doesn’t take her long to find and book her flight.
She’s leaving in five hours on the six thirty-five flight from CFA to Austin–Bergstrom International Airport.
After sending the confirmation and flight info to Akeem, Sunjiya packs all of her clothing items in the largest of her three-piece luggage set.
Although she had closets filled with designer clothes, shoes, and handbags in Miami, she’d left all of that tainted shit behind and escaped with the clothes on her back that night.
In the few months she’s been in Crescent Falls, she managed to buy a few items but not a full wardrobe.
Starting over takes time and she still has a few loose ends to tie up before she’s truly settled.
Once she’s packed, showered, and dressed, she takes an iDrive to Precise Nails, a salon she found online. Although she was just treated to an extensive spa treatment thanks to Akeem, she wants to refresh everything. She wants to be perfect for him, her man, a real ass man.
“Do you know which manicure or pedicure you want?” the pretty young lady at the counter asks once Sunjiya signs in. She barely looks eighteen.
Since the services menu and options for manicures and pedicures are so extensive, Sunjiya screenshot her preferences during the commute. After pulling them up on her phone, she answers the young lady.
“The Isle Pedicure with French tips and the Glo Manicure with French tips too,” Sunjiya says.
“Perfect. Karanna in the last station will be taking care of you. Would you like something to drink? We have coffee, espresso, tea, water, and mimosas.”
“A mimosa sounds really good.”
“Cranberry, peach, or pineapple?” the young lady asks.
“Y’all really like giving a lot of options,” Sunjiya comments with a grin.
“We definitely do,” she responds, smiling.
“Pineapple is fine,” Sunjiya says.
“Right this way,” the young lady says before leading Sunjiya through the shop to Karanna’s private station.
Like the other twelve stations in the shop, it has a full pedicure chair equipped with massage, manicure station, and private sink in a soft pink and beige color scheme.
Karanna’s is personalized with diamond studded accessories.
When they reach her, the young lady details Sunjiya’s mani and pedi services then says, “I’ll be right back with your mimosa. ”
“Thanks,” Sunjiya says.
“Hi. I’m Karanna. We’re going to start with your pedicure first.”
From the relaxing massage chair, two mimosas, herbal neck wrap through both her manicure and pedicure, and soy wax set and peel on her hands and feet, Sunjiya leaves Precise Nails two hours later feeling like a refreshed and rejuvenated woman.
Before heading to get her luggage, she orders another iDrive.
Because she’s limited on time, she offers to pay him cash off the books and he cancels her ride.
For a hundred dollars, he takes her to the local dispensary where she picks up a Fye Box for Akeem.
Because he loves to smoke, she figures he’ll love a stash box, especially this one.
The elegant black bamboo box with gold hardware has high-quality accessories: a rolling tray, three gorgeous bamboo-finished glass jars, a storage tube, a grinder, and a cleaning brush.
From the dispensary, her driver takes her to Blue Pointe Apartments, waits while she grabs her luggage, then takes her to the airport, arriving an hour and a half before takeoff.
After making it through the long ass TSA line an hour later, she stops at Brewed Bean in her terminal for an iced matcha latte with chocolate cream but also gets a cup of ice once she sees the barista scoop it into her latte cup.
With her drinks in hand, she finds a charging station and plugs her phone in.
Thirty minutes is enough time to recharge her battery.
As it charges, she calls Akeem, who answers almost immediately.
“You at the airport?” he asks.
“Yes. I’ll be there in three hours,” she says before placing ice into her mouth.
“Did you eat? And I’m not talking about ice,” he says.
“I’m eating ice now,” she says with a smirk. A flashback of him and his ice over her body streaks through her mind. “But you know I can’t look at ice the same after you.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
“Oh, it’s a great thing. Really, great. You gotta let me return the favor.”
“Nah, that’s all for you. I’ll run it back,” he says and she smiles big as hell. “But there are good spots near the airport if you want to have dinner.”
“No. I really just want to be all over you. We can grab something and take it back to your place. Just make sure you get rid of all evidence of your other women before I get there,” she teases.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” he says coolly while meaning every word. He’s all in with her and doesn’t even see other women.
“Good,” she says, blushing. “You know what, we don’t even have to stop for food. If you’re not busy, can you pick up something before I get there?”
“What you want?”
“Mm. A nice, big, good ass salad would be good. I don’t know. A chef or Santa Fe salad from somewhere. I’m not picky about dressing.”
“I got you and I got your tequila in my bar.”
“You’re spoiling me already,” she gushes.
“Nah, that ain’t shit. I can spoil you for real if you let me.”
“You asked me to come and I am. If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m letting you,” she admits.
“Damn. I like hearing that shit. I’ll show you just how much when you touch down. Have a safe flight.”
“See you soon,” she says while still gushing from his words.
When she ends the call, she closes all open apps so her cell can charge faster and drinks her latte. She’s saving her ice for the plane. While she doesn’t have a fear of lying, she gets anxiety on planes. Eating ice is a distraction that helps calm her anxiousness.
Ten minutes after her call, boarding starts.
Because she is flying business class, she boards with group A, gets comfortable in her window seat, then buckles up.
She shoots Akeem a quick text to let him know she’s about to take off, says a silent prayer for safe travels, then relaxes into her spot for the next two and a half hours.
When the door closes after all passengers are onboard and she sees her row is empty, she relaxes even more.
Thanks to her ice and empty row, the first hour of the flight is smooth as hell.
So smooth that she drifts off to sleep for the final hour and a half of her journey.
She doesn’t open her eyes until she feels the plane drop altitude for the descent.
They actually land ten minutes ahead of schedule, and by nine twenty-five she’s walking out of the terminal with her luggage.
It dawns on her that she doesn’t know what vehicle Akeem drives.
Right when she takes out her cell to call him, an all-black Land Rover pulls up in front of her with the passenger window down. It’s him.
After shifting into park, Akeem exits and walks over. Before he can pull her into him, she rushes into his arms and throws hers around his neck. Passionately, they kiss and embrace like they are long-term lovers who have been apart for years.
“You really missed me,” he utters when their lips finally break.
“More than you know,” she admits before kissing him again.
“Let’s go,” he says before opening the passenger door.
He extends his hand and she holds it as she gets into the Rover. As she settles in her seat, he grabs her bags and places them into his trunk.
“That’s a lot of bags for someone who wasn’t supposed to bring clothes,” he says once he’s inside.
“Just options. That’s all. Naked is for sure my preferred outfit though.
” As he eases into the lane to exit, she takes in his ride.
Not only does it smell heavenly like him, it fits him.
The Rover’s sleek Santorini black, metallic exterior and ebony interior are Akeem personified—Black and sexy as hell. “I like this,” she compliments.
“Thanks. How was your flight?”
“It was fine actually. I slept the last half after I ate my ice. Ice, damn! I didn’t want to have to stop but I’m going to need a cup of ice.”
“Nah. You good. I have an ice machine in my bar. It makes the ice you like,” he reveals.
“Really?” she asks, surprised.
“Yeah. You should be straight, but if it’s not the kind you like, I’ll get you some ice,” he says and she smiles.
“Thank you. This trip is perfect already.”
After glancing at her and seeing her beautiful smile, he says, “So fucking perfect.” She’s here, in his hometown, and no job needs to be done. It’s just them, and to him, that is perfection in itself.