Chapter 9
I felt some type of way that Avalon never called me when she got home and never responded to my text.
I wasn’t sure what that was about because I was certain we left on good terms. I didn’t want to think too much about it.
At first, I was concerned, but when she responded to my message about meeting up to go over some things, my concern turned to low-key anger.
Maybe anger was the wrong word; it was more so disappointment because I thought we had better communication than that.
If something was on her mind, she should have been able to tell me.
The whole night, I racked my brain trying to figure out what the issue could have been.
I didn’t have too much time to dwell on it, because I had a busy day, but that didn’t stop me from checking my phone damn near every hour to see if she texted or called me. Each time there was nothing from her, I was disappointed all over again.
When it was time for our meeting, I told her to meet me in the ballroom.
I wanted to tell her about some food ideas I had and some other stuff.
I really just wanted to spend time with her, but we did need to work on the anniversary party.
I told her I wanted her to have full control, but she also asked for my input if I had anything to add.
I heard and smelled her before I saw her. I turned around and smiled when my eyes landed on her, but I didn’t get the same warm welcome.
“Hey, Ava,” I said as I approached her. I tried to pull her in my arms, but she hesitated. I dropped my head back and looked at her. “You good?”
“Yes, it’s just been a long day.” She stared at the floor like something was down there.
“The floor that interesting to you?” I teased, trying to ease the thick tension in the room.
“No. I got your message about the food. Did you have someone in mind?” She got straight to business like I didn’t have my tongue shoved down her throat the day before. I didn’t kiss women, so for me to want to kiss her the way I did meant she was someone special.
“Um, the chef here said she could do it along with her team.” I led her over to the table so we could sit down.
She had on heels, and I knew women’s feet hurt sometimes with those types of shoes.
Avalon took her notepad and tablet out of her bag but hardly looked at me.
“Okay. That will work. I can get with her about the menu ideas I had, if that’s okay.” The tone of her voice was flat like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
I tried to brush it off because, quite honestly, the shit was unprofessional. I let it slide, though, because it was clearly something on her mind.
We went on to discuss some other things, and the whole time, Avalon looked down or everywhere else but at me. I tried to touch her, but she moved each time. It wasn’t sudden jerks, but it was enough for me to feel that shit.
The more she acted like she didn’t want to be around me, the more it fucked with me. I had really been trying to show her I was all about her, and she was on some other shit.
An hour went by, and I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What are you doing?” She screeched when I took the tablet from her hand.
“I’m trying to figure out what the problem is. Did I do something?”
She shook her head but kept her eyes on the table.
I lifted her chin and forced her to look at me.
“Ava, I can’t fix what’s wrong if you don’t tell me what it is. I need you to let me in, baby.” I spoke to her calmly because I wanted her to feel comfortable to share whatever was on her mind.
She bit her bottom lip as her eyes watered.
“When I was at the mall with Diamond, I ran into Miles’ cousin, and she told me that he wouldn’t have wanted me to move on, and I let her get into my head.”
I grabbed her hand and held it. I didn’t want to speak too soon and say the wrong thing. I never had to deal with something like this, and any other chick who had any type of emotional issues, I cut them off. I wasn’t trying to do that with Avalon, because I was really feeling her.
She didn’t badger me about spending time with her because she had her own motion.
She wasn’t trying to get into my pockets because she had her own.
My heart raced whenever she was in close proximity.
I saw a future with her. Kids, her fish, and everything else that came along with her.
I wasn’t trying to compete with a dead person, but Avalon was worth a little fight if I had to.
“I mean this with all the respect in the world. He’s not coming back, so his cousin was out of pocket for saying some shit like that to you.
You aren’t cheating on him, and you didn’t leave him.
It’s clear that y’all shared something real, but you deserve to be happy again.
I know I said that already, but I’ll keep reiterating that shit a million times if I have to.
And I already told you that I’m not trying to take his place; I’m just trying to make a spot for myself. ”
I needed Avalon to not only hear what I said, but to feel me.
As an idea came to mind, I stood from my seat. “Put your stuff away and come with me.” I released her hand so she could gather her things, then helped her from the chair.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere I like to go when I need to clear my head.”
There was a spot on the roof that no one knew about but me and my siblings.
I even set it up to have privacy if I needed it, just in case.
Of what, I didn’t know, because there wasn’t another building that faced that side.
The only thing that was out there was the ocean, but still, I could never be too careful.
I had never brought anyone up there except Kairo and Karma, but they never came again.
It was just so they would know where to find me in case some shit happened.
Avalon and I walked hand in hand to the elevator, then got on. When we reached the desired floor, we stepped off, and I led her to the door.
“Koda, what is this?” Avalon asked as I led her over to the couch I put up there.
“This is my escape. When things get overwhelming, I get me a drink from the bar, then come up and decompress.” We sat down, and I placed my hand on her leg.
“I want this to be a safe space for you too. It doesn’t matter if I’m with you or not; you can come here if you ever need to.
You don’t even have to tell me unless you want to. ”
She laid her head on my shoulder and whispered, “Thank you.”
I gave her leg a soft squeeze, and we sat in silence for a few minutes.
After some time passed, I turned my body toward Avalon and lifted her head so I could look into her eyes.
“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you don’t deserve happiness. Homegirl has to be bitter to even say some shit like that. Forget her and anyone else who doesn’t have your best interest at heart.”
“You sound like my cousin. She was ready to fight her.”
“Good, because there was no reason for her to come at you like that. People are allowed to love more than once in their lifetime if it comes to them. I’m not going anywhere, Avalon.” I pressed my lips into hers.
“Thank you, Koda.” She leaned forward, and we kissed again.
I reached for her waist when her tongue entered my mouth.
Avalon’s hands rubbed the back of my neck and down my back. My dick jumped when she moaned. She lay down and grabbed my shirt, bringing me down with her.
We never broke the kiss as my hands roamed her body. I took a second to take off my glasses. I couldn’t see shit but her, and that was all that mattered.
“I’m not going anywhere, Ava,” I repeated once I broke the kiss, then kissed her again. My hand trailed down the side of her body, and I slightly pulled her skirt up.
I looked down into her eyes, and she stared back at me. “Are you going to let me continue showing you that I’m here?”
Her skirt rose more when she opened her legs wider.
“Yes.”
Once the word fell from her lips, I wasted no time pushing her skirt all the way up around her hips.
I used my finger to rub over the front of her panties.
The warmth from her middle made me even harder.
Her essence soaked the seat of her underwear.
I didn’t bother moving them; I just rubbed my finger up and down her covered slit.
Avalon’s eyes closed when I pushed her panties to the side and slowly slid my finger inside of her.
“Pussy so wet. And tight.” Her walls had my finger in a vice grip. If I had to guess, she probably hadn’t had sex since her dude died. “When the last time someone made you feel good, baby?” I asked as I continued finger fucking her.
“Um.” Her back arched as she gripped my arm. “Over a year ago.”
“Shit, I can tell.” I groaned when I felt her walls tighten even more.
“Cum for me, Ava, so I can taste you.” I increased the speed of my fingers, and when she came, she squeezed her eyes shut, and she moaned so damn sexily that precum leaked from my dick.
I took my finger out of her as she tried to catch her breath. When I stuck my finger in my mouth and licked it, Avalon’s tongue snaked out of her mouth and licked her bottom lip.
“Damn you taste good.” I kissed her again, then made my way down her body.
When I was where I needed to be, I pushed her legs back and dove in.
I flattened my tongue and swiped it up and down her slit.
Her juices seeped out, and I lapped up every drop.
Her flower opened for me, and I sucked on her clit as I stuck my finger inside of her again.
Avalon watched me with low eyes as I devoured her thick ass.
“Koda, I’m going to cum again,” she whispered.
“Do that shit then.” I continued to lick and suck on her clit until she came.
When I had my fill of her, I made my way back up. It took me nothing but a second to pull my pants and boxers down, freeing my dick.
“Are you ready to give yourself to me, Ava? There’s no turning back once you do.”
We were right there, but I needed her to give me permission. I needed her to understand what this was. I was about to slide into her raw, and that wasn’t something I had ever done.
“Yes, Koda.” She pulled me down, so our mouths met, and stuck her tongue in mine.
We kissed passionately as I slid inside of her.
I had to close my eyes and think about something else for a second because she felt good as hell.
I shared my safe space with her, but little did she know that her pussy had become my new safe space.
Nothing else existed except her and her soft, gushy walls.
“You deserve love.” My strokes were slow because I needed her to feel me throughout her entire body. “You deserve to get dicked down whenever you want.”
Avalon threw her head back and moaned loudly.
The sound of her wetness mixed with the waves crashing, and it was so damn relaxing.
I never thought of sex as relaxing, but Ava had me seeing shit different.
It wasn’t just sex with her. It was us exchanging energy.
“You deserve happiness.” We shared another kiss. “You got me, Ava.”
“Koda.” She moaned as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into her more.
“Tell me you deserve happiness,” I coached her.
She tightened around my dick, and I knew she was on the verge of releasing again.
“I deserve happiness.”
“And you deserve love,” I coached again.
She repeated after me as another orgasm ripped through her, and as soon as she grabbed my beard, I was spraying her walls.
We stayed in the same position for a moment, both trying to return our breathing back to normal.
“I meant what I said. I’m here for as long as you allow me to be.” I kissed her lips.
“Okay,” she responded and closed her eyes.
We stayed up there for a while, basking in the after-sex glow as the sun descended from the sky.
I wasn’t sure if Avalon fully believed what I said, but I meant every word.