Chapter 9
Ibarely had time to prepare myself before Free came crashing into my arms. Each step she took toward me sounded like she was running to the instrumental of Coco Jones’s “ICU”.
I wrapped her in a hug, loving the marshmallow scent she chose to wear for our date tonight.
No lie, I was utterly and obsessively into this girl.
She was always on my mind, and when we had to leave each other, I was always looking forward to the next time I got to lay eyes on her again.
“Hey, baby. You missed me?”
She whacked me in the middle of my chest, making me laugh. “You know I missed you. It’s been like three days. I was starting to lose hearing in my eyes without you in my life.”
I tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled down at her. She was so damn cute. “Well, no more business trips for me unless you’re coming too. How does that sound?”
“Like you want us to be at the courthouse when it opens tomorrow.”
I chortled before placing a kiss on her forehead.
Little did she know, I had something up my sleeve tonight that was going to reassure her that that was the track we were on.
“You ain’t really about that life,” I teased her seconds before I yanked her closer to me by the front of her blouse.
“Give me a kiss, baby. I was losing hearing in my eyes too.”
On command, her soft lips landed on mine.
Her arms wrapped around my neck. I sank into the kiss while my hands gripped her ass just the way I knew she liked it.
I could feel her pulse racing and just knew there was a pool in the seat of her panties right now.
But I hadn’t touched her like that since my mom’s party.
I wanted Free to know my interest in her didn’t come just from how good her pussy tasted on my tongue, or my obsession with her scent on my lips after I had her quivering and trying to suffocate me with her thighs . . .
I gripped her a little tighter, just thinking about what I would do to her when the opportunity presented itself.
She moaned into our kiss, and if I were a man without control, it would’ve sent me over the edge, but because I knew how to keep it together, I pulled away.
With a quick bow, I held out an arm to the blacked-out Eskimo truck waiting for us.
“Your chariot awaits, my queen,” I said in my interpretation of an English accent.
Free twisted from side like the goofy being that she was. I couldn’t help but laugh when she kicked her foot up. “What? A chariot for little ole me?”
I nodded. “The world for you, if I got a say in it.” Turning to the truck, I opened the back door. “But on the real, I did hire this driver for us because you don’t like the way I drive, and I don’t like the way you drive either. Now, we can both feel comfortable when we’re traveling together.”
Her face blanched while her mouth popped open in surprise. “Stanley . . .”
I chuckled because she was sticking by that nickname like her life depended on it. “Yes, baby?”
“You got us a driver for our dates?”
“Well, actually, he can take you anywhere you need to go. I paid his salary up for a year.” She started stomping to the car, shaking her head. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, because she was mumbling under her breath. “What? You think I did too much?”
She paused with her foot on the side bar and her hand in mine. “What? No. I’m totally worth the effort. I was just preparing myself for sore jaws if this is what the rest of my life looks like. You really outdid yourself this time, Stanley.”
My chest puffed out a little more, hearing her say that. I helped her inside, and while her ass was bent over in my face, I smacked it. “Can’t wait to put my face in it. Call me Mr. Up The Score.”
I slid inside behind Free and slammed the door shut. She immediately cuddled up next to me with her legs crossed over mine. “No flowers?” she asked in shock.
I chuckled. I’d turned this girl into a monster, but I loved it. She kept me on my toes when she made sure I was never lacking on my job. “You about to see why in a minute.” I leaned forward, knocking on the partition to let our driver, Miles, know we were ready to go.
She hummed, burying her head into my side.
I smiled down at her, loving how affectionate she was.
My baby thrived off physical touch, so I never denied her the chance to get close to me.
It actually made me appreciate my decision to get us a driver a little more.
Shit, this was the life as far as I was concerned.
My pockets were laced. I was about to make shit with Free official. We had a chauffeur, making it easy to enjoy the presence of my woman and the views of the city while R I was invited.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “You’re standing on that hill, huh?”
She nodded. “Yes, until the day I die. I was invited,” she mumbled again. She flicked her eyes toward Niylah. “Tell her.”
Turning to Niylah, I said, “She was invited to the private party where she knew no one and had never met any of us a day in her life.”
Free giggled and flipped me off with her tongue out.
We fell into a comfortable silence after that.
Free vibed to the music while working on her bouquet, while I had to get Niylah to help me out with placement.
It was nearly two dozen roses, so I needed help holding them up too.
Free was in her own world, so she never looked to see how mine was going.
When it was finished, Niylah walked out, giving us the room for privacy.
“Baby? Come here.” Her head popped up. She set the rose in her hand down and walked around the table.
“So, I feel like things have been going really great between us, and I wanted to officially ask you something.” I picked the bouquet up and turned it so that she could see the GF?
monogram on it. The biggest grin lit up her beautiful face.
Tears came to her eyes, and she pouted. “Wow. I thought I was going to be too old to experience a girlfriend proposal.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I don’t think we’re too old for this. I see it as like the prequel for the engagement.”
“Oh, so you plan to marry me, Stanley?” she asked while closing the distance between us. I gripped her chin and tilted her head up. I couldn’t help but smirk as I admired her. She thought this shit was a game, but I’d never been good at playing.
“Free, I plan to spend my life with you, so yes. You gonna have my last name, baby.”
She squealed while fanning her eyes. “You about to turn me into Shirley Brown.” She started shaking her head. “I can just hear me now . . . Barbara, this is Shirley.”
I chortled so loud it hurt my chest a little bit. “Your ass is too damn silly, girl.”
“That man you’re in love with. He’s mine. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet,” she continued, reciting the “Woman to Woman” lyrics to me.
I closed the distance between us and placed the softest kiss on her lips.
“You’re never going to have to worry about that, because there’s only one woman for me, and I’m staring at her.
” She blushed and tried to bury her face in my chest, but I wouldn’t allow her.
“Nah, look at me ’cause I ain’t heard you give me an answer yet. ”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, is it not obvious? I would love to be your girlfriend, Stanley.”
I nodded before beating on my chest. “That’s what the fuck I like to hear. Bring them sexy ass lips here, girl. You’re officially mine now.”