Chapter 3 Blossom #2
“Hey!” I called out from the end of the alley, still under the streetlight. “Why are you following me?”
Seeing the hooded figure disappear between buildings, I looked around frantically before running back to my truck.
Once I hopped inside, tears pricked my eyes from fear, and I didn’t know what to do about it.
When I felt calm enough to drive, I pulled my phone from my purse, shakily dialing my mother.
“Yes, dear,” she answered on the second ring. “Your father and I were just talking about you.”
“Well, how about I come and see you and the old man? I’m already in the car. Talk to me until I get there.”
I didn’t want to alarm her, but paranoia had settled in. Hopefully, she wouldn’t make a big deal about me suggesting I stay the night with them. Fear had gotten the best of me, and there was no way I was going home alone.
“Come on now, Rasheeda.” I sipped my wine as I snuggled onto the couch, catching up on Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta. “It ain’t that much love in the world.”
“Who are you telling?” Stacy’s voice flowed through my iPad. I had her propped up on a pillow beside me on FaceTime. “I would’ve been put a wet belt on Kirk’s black ass. Out here looking like a sloth and got the nerve to be cheating. I swear, these niggas are embarrassing on and off camera.”
Simpering, I agreed with her as I continued to tune in.
It was a Sunday evening, and watching ratchet television was my favorite way to wind down. I’d had a very productive week, and taking a vacation was weighing heavily on my mind. Within the next few days, I was hoping to close on the house I showcased, and I couldn’t wait.
“What’s crazy to us may not be to her.” I reached for my vibrating phone and saw it was TJ texting. He had gotten off work early and said he was on his way. “Sometimes, the love you share with a person is stronger than anything that’s presented to tear you apart.”
As Stacy began to speak about how men weren’t shit and what she would never put up with, I thought about my relationship with TJ.
I had love for him, but I didn’t know if the love was enough for me to endure the things that were happening.
I was a firm believer that what you put up with was what you allowed.
If I continued to let him get away with little things like not spending time together, it could turn into a bigger issue later.
Maybe tonight was the night we would put it all on the line.
Knock! Knock!
“Who in the fuck is knocking on your door like the police?” Stacy craned her neck in the phone as if it would help her see more clearly. “Who is that?”
“The police, bitch.” I giggled, throwing my blanket from my legs as I got up to open the door. “I’ll call you back later. TJ is here.”
Dressed in a cute little black nightie, I listened to her groan as I padded over toward the door. He had complained to me time and time again about receiving a key to my home, but it hadn’t been in me to give him one.
“Hey, baby…” He smiled as he bent over and hugged me, placing a kiss on my forehead. “You look good as hell.”
Grabbing hold of my ass, he kicked the door closed behind him as he lifted and carried me into the living room.
I threw my arms around his neck as we kissed passionately.
Throwing me on the couch, I felt the hardness between his legs as he nestled between my thighs.
Things were getting a little hot and heavy between us before a voice underneath me interrupted.
“Girl, get the fuck off me!” Stacy yelled, causing us both to jump. “Doing all that damn moaning and groaning.”
“What the fuck?!” TJ frowned as he pushed up off me. “Where the fuck is she at?” he asked as he looked around, confused. When I pulled the iPad from behind my back, and he realized she wasn’t in the house, he spoke. “What’s up, Stacy?”
“Friend, call me tomorrow,” she said in an aggravated tone. I couldn’t help but laugh at the disgust on her face. “Go and do whatever it is you do. Oh, and hey, nigga. Bye.”
Laughing as she disconnected the video, I placed the device on the table and slightly maneuvered from under him. “Hold up for a second, TJ. Get up because we need to talk.”
Annoyance spread across his face instantly as he pushed off the couch and walked into the kitchen. My eyes followed him as he went into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. Twisting the top, he eyed me intently as he damn near drank the entire thing.
“Look, Blossom… I didn’t come over here to argue with you.” He placed the nearly empty bottle on the counter. “You been bitching about a nigga spending time and shit, so here I am. Damn.”
Jumping from the couch, my throw blanket fell to the floor as I stomped into the kitchen.
I wanted to tell him about what I saw a few weeks ago and how I felt as if I was being followed.
However, we’d speak on that later because right now, I didn’t know what his problem was, but I wasn’t going for the gaslighting tonight.
“Don’t you dare come into my house and act as if you’re doing me a favor by being here.” I pointed my finger at his chest, but deep down, I wanted to punch him. “I have been begging you for weeks, months, to spend time with me. I can’t even get a simple meal from you without something coming up.”
“Blossom—”
“I’m not done!” I snapped. By now, I was hot, and he was going to feel my wrath.
“You’re not the only one with a career. You’re not the only one who has things going on in their everyday life.
You asked me to marry you.” I held up my finger that showcased my two-carat princess-cut ring.
“I’m not about to be in a relationship alone, so I know damn well I won’t enter a marriage and do the same. ”
Tears pricked my eyes, and I hated it. I hated feeling like I was in this alone. I was not in the business of begging a man to be with or to stay with me.
“If this isn’t something you really want, say that, and just leave me alone, TJ.”
The annoyance on his face prior to my rant was gone in an instant once he saw the first tear fall. Arms crossed, I watched as he rounded the corner and came to stand before me. Lifting my chin, he wiped my tears as he peppered soft kisses on my lips.
“I know shit has been rocky with us lately, but baby, I love you and I want to spend my life with you.” He lifted me, and once again, my legs wrapped around his waist. “Whatever I need to do to fix this with us, I’ll do it. I love you, and I ain’t trying to lose you.”
Sitting me on the couch, he placed kisses all over my neck and collarbone.
I palmed the back of his head as he dipped lower, pulling down the straps to my gown and latching onto my left nipple.
My body was humming from his touches, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind.
Not wanting to ruin the mood, I closed my eyes, spreading my legs wider as he settled between them, placing kisses on the inside of each thigh.
“You smell so sweet, baby…” he moaned as he pulled my panties to the side, giving my pussy one long lick. “Fuck, I want you.”
I arched my back as he eased his stiff tongue in and out of me. TJ and I might disagree about a lot of things, but the way he eats me out will never be one of them.
“Oh shit!” I panted as he sucked and nibbled on my clit. He always knew what to do to make me come quickly. “I don’t think I can hold it.”
Squirming as my juices dripped all over the couch, I felt the pressure rising inside of me until I was releasing all my essence into his awaiting mouth.
“Damn…” I moaned as he continued to peck my lower lips. “W-What are you doing?”
Feeling his dick at my opening, I twisted my body to move him off me. I stood from the sofa and readjusted my nightie while I glared at him. His sweats had been pushed to his ankles, and that really pissed me off.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” He pushed up, confused. “I thought we were having a good time.”
“We were before you tried to ease your way inside of me.” I walked over to my ottoman and grabbed my robe before turning the television off. “You know I’m not ready for that.”
Although TJ and I had been together for over a year, we hadn’t had sex.
Yes, I was a twenty-six-year-old virgin, but I wasn’t ashamed.
It’s not that I was waiting to get married before I had intercourse; I was just waiting for the right moment.
I loved TJ, but nothing about the way he had been treating me lately made me want to give myself to him.
“Not ready?” He stuffed his hard dick back into his boxer briefs before standing to full height. “What the fuck do you mean? You think I’m satisfied with just eating pussy all the muthafuckin’ time? You’re going to be my wife. You owe me—”
“I don’t owe you shit!” I hissed, fists clenched.
“Putting your mouth on me is something you choose to do. I didn’t ask you.
I told you when we first got together, I was in no rush to have sex.
I can barely get time with you, and you think kissing on my vagina and making me come is going to make me forget the fact that you’ve been neglecting me? It doesn’t.”
“You know what?” He faintly chuckled as he stepped back into his slides, pulling his pullover from my coatrack.
“When you grow up and want to be a woman, call me.” He walked toward the door before glancing back over his shoulder to look at me.
“You’re going to fuck around and let another woman do what you can’t. ”
“I’m shaking in my boots, nigga.” I walked to him, reaching around him to open my door. “Have a good night.”
Staring at me without another word, he stepped over the threshold, and I slammed the door behind him.