Chapter 5
The fact that the first thing on Teonny’s mind when she got up that morning was the grilled cheese Prosper made the night before almost made her want to giggle. That was until the second thought came to her mind.
Prosper has a big ass dick, gah damn!
She only knew that because it was pressed right against her ass.
That morning wood was something serious as hell.
She took a moment to clamp her legs together tightly and relish in the feel of his arm around her.
They were both clothed, but he still felt so good next to her.
She couldn’t believe she had slept so well after the eventful day she had yesterday, but with Prosper there, she slept like a baby.
Finally, she slowly got out of bed, careful not to disturb him.
She took a moment to look down at him while he slept.
His squared jaw seemed to clench tight while he slept.
Teonny grew envious of his thick long lashes, and he had thick brows.
They were the kind of features women hoped for but never got.
Niggas always got the good brows and lashes.
As soon as she got out of bed, she made a beeline toward the bathroom that connected to the bedroom.
Teonny took her time showering, brushing her teeth, washing her face, and dressing.
Thoughts of the conversation she had with Prosper the day before swirled around her mind.
He turned her on in the worst ways. She never thought sharing about her daughter would be a turning point for her in any relationship, mostly because she normally refused to talk about Angel.
But last night had been such a turning point for her.
It felt so good to talk about Angel, even if it was the most horrific night of her short life. Her mom never liked talking about her. The pain was too great. And Teonny honestly couldn’t blame her mother. The shit hurt like hell.
But the way Prosper handled her with such care made her feel like it was okay to feel. It was okay to talk about the things that hurt her. He didn’t say much, but it was in the way his aura welcomed all her trauma without judgment. She felt like she owed him a great deal for his kindness.
Breakfast would be a good start. It was the least she could do for introducing her to the best grilled cheese known to man.
She tiptoed out of the bathroom and then out of the bedroom. When she made it down to the kitchen, she smelled fresh coffee. The corners of Teonny’s lips turned up. She turned the corner and saw her mom sitting at the center island with a mug of piping hot coffee.
“Can’t go one day without your coffee, huh?”
“You know better,” Tameka said, turning to look at her daughter with a smirk.
Teonny giggled. “Did you at least make enough for me?”
Teonny walked toward the coffeepot as Tameka responded. “Of course I did. Enough for that fine ass man you got tucked upstairs too.”
Teonny blushed as she fixed herself a cup of coffee. She knew the moment her mother had a second alone with her, she would have questions.
A hummed response from Teonny was all she could muster before she tried to change the subject. “How did you sleep?”
“Uh-uh. Come sit.” Tameka patted the spot next to her, and Teonny reluctantly plopped onto it. “Now spill.”
The corners of Teonny’s lips involuntarily turned up at the thought of Prosper. “I don’t know, Mommy. We met like three years ago.”
“Three years?” Tameka screeched.
Teonny shushed her. “Ma, it’s not that big of a deal.”
“Not a big deal? My baby been dating a fine ass man for three years and didn’t tell me? Is that where you disappear to every day?”
Teonny had never told her mom about the gun range.
She hated lying to her mom, but Tameka was a worrier.
If she had known Teonny spent all her time at the gun range, she would have insisted it was a bad coping mechanism.
There was no way she would allow anyone to take away the power she felt when shooting a gun, so she lied.
Instead of lying some more right now, she responded to a different part of what her mom said. “Ma, I never said we been dating for three years. I’ve just known him for three years. This dating thing is . . . new. Really new.”
The thought of dating Prosper actually excited her now.
The thought of losing him made her heart ache.
To love someone meant she could lose them.
That was her biggest hang up when it came to getting close to Prosper, but she felt like talking to him might ease her negative thoughts.
When they had another moment alone, they would definitely have a conversation about her feelings and what exactly it was that they were doing.
“I can’t believe my baby has a man. You know I been praying for this?” Tameka squealed in delight as she kicked her feet.
Teonny rolled her eyes. “I guess.”
“Why you sound so down about it? Hell, you know Jerome was the best thing that ever happened to me—”
“It’s not that I’m down.” Teonny had to interrupt. To get Tameka started on her weird ass love for Jerome was to sit in silence for a solid hour, unable to get a word in. “I’m just afraid, you know?”
The least she could do was talk to her mom about her feelings since she was lying to her about everything else, it felt like.
“Afraid of what? Losing them? Teo, I told you that you can’t use Angel and Kevin as an anchor holding you back from happiness. They would both want you to be happy.”
“Angel would, at least,” Teonny mumbled. She was sure if Kevin were alive, he would still be making her life a living hell.
“Kevin would too. Don’t downplay my son-in-law like that.”
Her words were another reminder of something she kept from her mother. Tameka looked at Kevin like a saint because he used to take care of her, and his money still took care of her, even in death.
“Right.”
“I’m glad you’re finally moving on. And who knows? Maybe I’ll get another grandbaby out of you?” Tameka rubbed Teonny’s stomach gently. “You and Prosper would make such cute babies.”
Teonny laughed uncomfortably. More kids were definitely out of the question. She might be open to love again, but having another baby would never be in her future. That wasn’t an argument she wanted to have with her mom right now, though, so she was glad when she felt Prosper enter the kitchen.
Yeah, she felt him. She didn’t smell his cologne, hear him, or lay eyes on him. It was like her body just knew he was suddenly in her space. With a smile, she turned to peer at him.
“Good morning.” She greeted him with a grin.
“Morning, beautiful.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Morning, Tameka.”
She had insisted he call her by her first name the night before. Teonny giggled because she could tell it made him uncomfortable to not address her properly, but that was Tameka. She never wanted to be called ma’am, Ms. Austin, or anything that might make her sound old.
“How did you sleep?” Teonny asked as she got up from her spot and walked toward the refrigerator.
“Honestly? Better than I have in years,” he admitted.
She blushed. “Same. I was going to make some breakfast.”
“I might need to take a raincheck on breakfast, beautiful. I, uh . . .” He glanced at Tameka.
“I got some information on Ghost. I need to chop it up wit’ my right hand to see what the next move will be.
” Teonny’s heart rate picked up. Information on the man who was after Prosper was a good thing, but it made her nervous.
She knew once Prosper got his hands on Ghost, it would be ugly.
Worry filled her heart, and she realized dating a man like him would come with a lot of anxiety.
She wondered if it was worth it . . . Her mind trailed off, but Prosper’s hand on her waist brought her back.
He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Don’t get lost inside ya head.
You handle breakfast. I’ll handle everything else. ”
He kissed her forehead and left the kitchen.
“I’ll save you a plate,” she called out after him. She watched him until he disappeared before her eyes landed back on Tameka, who stared at her. “What?”
“Don’t what me. What was that all about? You talkin’ ’bout Ghost from Ellway?”
Teonny’s eyes grew wide before she turned back toward the refrigerator to collect the items for breakfast. “Mama, please. What you know about Ellway these days?”
Tameka waved her hand. “Please, you know Jerome stays in the hood. What y’all was talkin’ ’bout?”
“Nothing, Mommy.”
Tameka eyed Teonny for a moment longer before she left her with a warning.
“Don’t think I don’t know who Prosper is, little girl.
I may not live in the projects no more, but I still know shit.
I’m cool with you dating him as long as he keeps that shit away from you.
It don’t seem like he’s doin’ that, so just know I got eyes on the situation.
You don’t need to know nothin’ about no Ghost or nobody else from out that way.
You got a good life, and nothin’ should take you away from that, you got it? ”
“Yeah,” Teonny stammered, only because she was shocked. Her mother rarely ever raised up on her like that. She fussed over her, sure, but she never really told Teonny what to do or scolded her.
She watched as Tameka grabbed her mug of coffee and left the kitchen. Teonny was left with nothing but confusion from the words her mother just spoke.