Chapter Four #2
Eve ignores him. “You know, if you’re looking for a fine ass man to pass the time with, sans the community dick, I got you.
I’ve made some connections while here. Oh my gosh, you should come out with us tonight.
” She starts talking excitedly and Tiana starts matching her energy.
Before we know it, the two women are up and out of their seats walking out of the pool area, and Christian is following behind them whining for attention.
Janelle shakes her head with a laugh. “I swear those two couldn’t exist without the other one to torture.”
“I’m telling you they’re gonna be the next ones walking down the aisle the way they bicker.”
“I highly doubt it. Evie cannot stand Christian. It’s not a facade.”
“I know but hate fucking is a real thing and the sexual tension is off the charts.”
“We see it as sexual tension, but I think we may be on the verge of being witnesses to a homicide. She says he reminds her of her hoe ass daddy who she also can’t stand, so she really isn’t fucking with him.”
“Damn. Thought I had another best man title on lock. I guess I’ll have to give his eulogy instead.”
She turns to me with a shocked expression that dissolves into hysterics, holding her side from the laughter. “And I guess I’ma have to put money on Evie’s books.”
“We’ll get her set up real nice. She’ll have all the honey buns and ramen.”
She must forget about her desire to put distance between us because she plants her hand on my knee trying to gain control of her laugh. It feels good to have her hands on me.
Dani walks by the pool area but notices our group and steps in to say hi.
“Dani, where’s my wife?”
“She’s not your wife yet, stop trying to claim my woman early. My woman is changing, said she got too hot in her outfit.” She lifts her head to make eye contact with Janelle. “She’s gonna be looking for us soon, I’m sure.”
“I’m sure,” she mumbles under her breath, but keeps a smile on her face as she nods.
Dani looks at Micah, but only briefly, before she averts her eyes and walks out of the pool area. From the corner of my eye, I see Micah set his drink down and follow her out.
I’ll have to ask him what that’s about later.
Arnold jumps out of the pool, probably to go find Amerie before she sets off on her next adventure, leaving me and Janelle alone in the lounge chair.
I nudge Janelle’s shoulder with my own. “So, what’s up? You seemed down when you first walked by.”
The whiskey brown orbs of her eyes drink me in as she takes a sip of her drink.
“I’m just tired. It’s been nonstop all day today and it’s driving me up the wall.
This week was supposed to be about relaxation.
Every detail of this wedding was handled before we even stepped on the plane, and yet she keeps coming up with more stuff to do. I know I sound ungrateful right now.”
She’s probably thinking that because Arnold paid for us to be here this extra week. We all told him he didn’t need to do that, but he insisted it was his gift to us for being in the wedding party.
“You’re allowed to be tired, J. What is it you want to be doing right now?”
“Honestly? I just wanted to sit by the pool and read. Or sit on the beach and read. Water and books, that’s all I want.”
“Do that, then.”
“You heard Dani. Ri will be looking for us soon to run more errands.”
“Tell her no.”
She sighs. “I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Because.” She pauses. “She’s my sister. I just want her to have a good time, no stress.”
“So, you’ll just take all the stress on yourself?”
She bumps her leg against mine. “That’s why I have a new stress toy, isn’t that what you said?”
I snicker at her joke, but I wish I could make her put herself first sometimes when it comes to her sister. Just because it’s her wedding doesn’t mean she gets to take advantage of Janelle.
“That is true. Stress relief reporting for duty.” I give her a tiny salute and she throws her head back in laughter.
“You about to get me in trouble.” Her eyes travel the length of my body, biting her bottom lip as she does.
“Why is that, J?”
“Because if I had more time, I would squeeze you right now.”
We look at each other intently then burst out laughing.
“Ayo, what?”
She forces her words out between her chortles. “I swear that sounded better in my head. I was trying to make a joke like squeeze you like a stress toy. Get it?”
“Ohh okay, so you want to squeeze my stress balls. Got it.”
“Oh God, now it’s getting worse.”
“You started it. Talking about squeezing me like I’m the Pillsbury Doughboy or something.”
“Please. I can’t breathe.” Her laughs turn into a wheeze. “You don’t squeeze the Pillsbury Doughboy; you poke him in the belly. Like this.” She demonstrates by poking me straight in my belly button.
I swat her hand. “You’re on thin ice.”
She puts her hands up in surrender, humor still lighting up her features. “Okay, okay. My bad. Thank you, though.”
“For what?”
“For this arrangement. Being with you really is helping my stress levels. I just don’t want to put all my shit on your plate, so you have to tell me if you want to cut it early. I won’t be offended.”
But I would be. Hell, we’re already cutting it early by limiting ourselves to one week. She really has no idea the effect she’s had on me in such a short period of time.
“J, I wouldn’t be doing this with you if I didn’t want to. Believe me, I am enjoying the hell out of this and you. So, load my plate. I can handle it.”
She giggles. “I can do that.”
We start talking about how the spa treatments went after I left when we hear a voice.
“Nelle.” Janelle jumps away from me like she was just caught doing something inappropriate. We turn to find Dani waving in our direction. “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.” She stands up and puts a respectable amount of distance between us before meeting my eyes again. “I’ll see you later?”
“Of course.”
She nods and walks over to Dani, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the pool area.
I rub my hands down my face.
That woman is going to be the death of me, and I will welcome it like an old friend when it comes.
I stand up to make my way to my room, stopping to make a few phone calls on my way. If Janelle won’t do things for herself then I’ll do them for her.
Arnold: Everyone meet in the lobby in ten minutes
Christian: Ima need more than ten fam
Arnold: …
Micah: Please tell me you’re not texting while having sex
Christian: What do you wanna hear?
Micah: I thought Tiana ditched you for Eve
Christian: Who said anything about Tiana?
Arnold: You got thirty minutes or your ass is getting left
Christian: I can make that work
Me: That ain’t the flex you think it is
Christian: *middle finger emoji*
Knowing that the guys are occupied, I switch over to my text thread with Janelle.
Me: You alone?
Her reply is damn near instant.
J: Yeah why?
I don’t need to hear anything else. I shove my phone in my pocket and head out to Janelle’s room.
When I get to her hallway, she’s walking to her door with what looks like a candy bar in hand.
She looks good as hell. She’s wearing a white crop top that stops just below her breastbone.
Her si lver belly button ring stands out against her brown skin and the gold waist beads adorning her torso.
Her white skirt is ruched at the top and the right side flows to her ankle while the left side sits completely open, showing off another gold chain wrapped around her thigh. My mouth waters at the sight of her.
I rush over and wrap my hand around her waist, slamming her back against her door.
Her eyes widen at my touch and widen even more when she sees it’s me, but once I press the weight of my leg between her thighs, they relax into a lustful gaze.
“Rome, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” She teases her bottom lip with her teeth and looks around the empty hallway.
“I wanted to see you.” I bury my head into the crook of her neck and lick a trail up the base. She squirms under my touch, grinding against my leg. She lets her exposed thigh fall open slightly exposing her pretty pussy covered with a strip of lace.
“Mmm, oh my God, are you trying to get us caught?”
“Would it really matter if we did?” I’m talking out of my ass right now, allowing my need for her to take over my common sense. I know she doesn’t want to get caught with me and I know why, but it doesn’t change the fact that being with her feels so damn good. And right.
“Rome. You don’t want the shitstorm that would be people finding out about us any more than I do.”
Now, that’s where she’s wrong. I had reservations in the beginning but the moment I slid between her thighs they melted away. I would announce our relationship, if you can call it that, to the world.
“Word?” She averts her eyes, but I grab her chin and force her to look at me. “Nah, look me in my eyes ’ cause I wanna make sure you hear me. I’m a grown-ass man, J. I’m not afraid of getting caught. The only reason I’m hiding shit from anyone is because it’s what you want.”
She stares deep into my eyes and licks her lips. “Okay, that’s fair. We have a few minutes. Do you want to come inside?”
Absolutely. But I also want her to be as desperate for me as I am for her, so instead of letting her open her door and guide us inside, I place her legs firmly on the ground and take a step back.
“Nah, like I said I just wanted to see you. I don’t want to mess up your outfit before you have a chance to show it off.”
“What?” Her brows furrow and she tilts her head to try to make sense of what I just said.
“I’ll see you downstairs, J.” I pull her into me for a quick kiss before I turn around and walk back to my room.