Chapter 5
5
Kwame
O ne Week Later…
“Let’s go!” I yelled as Isaiah Walker pushed the ball up the court.
The game had been tense since the second quarter, and I was on pins and needles. Basketball had always been a favorite sport of mine since I was a teen. I couldn’t play worth a damn, but I loved watching my city win.
Esani and I sat courtside along with her best friend Tania and DeAngelo. On the other side of me was my colleague Denico Tejada, his wife, and two daughters. For the first half of the game, the Pistons had been up by fifteen points. Since returning from halftime, they had allowed the Knicks to catch their footing, and now the score was tied with only seven seconds left on the clock.
For the past week, I’d had some free time, so I had been dragging Esani all over the city, going on shopping sprees, and just enjoying every part of her. She had been a little distant since we had drinks with her mom, and it made me wonder what she may have said or done to my baby to dim her energy. Since meeting Esani, she was always so vibrant and outspoken, but since that night, she seemed…down. I checked in with her, and she told me she was fine, but I knew it wasn’t true. However, I wouldn’t press. I was sure she’d come to me when she was ready.
Isaiah ran up the court, stopped at the three-point line, and let it fly. I stood still, watching the ball fly in the air and sink into the net. The crowd went wild as I slapped Nico a five as we laughed. Our team had won game four in the playoffs, and I was proud.
“We getting them fucking rings this year, baby!” Nico yelled in excitement.
“Nico!” his wife, Aliyah, yelled, covering their three-year-old daughter’s ears.
“My bad, baby.” He picked Dania up and kissed her cheeks. “I’m just excited. Our boys had been battling all season, but we gon’ take this win home. Believe that!”
“Facts,” I agreed. I felt arms wrap around me as I wrapped my arm around her.
“What’s up, babe? We’re about to get out of here in a few minutes. I just need to holla at a few people.”
“Okay. Nia and I are going to head to the restroom.”
“No problem, love. I’ll meet y’all by the entrance.”
“Okay,” she replied.
I kissed her lips as she smiled then walked off with her friend. I watched her ass sway in that tight ass red dress and bit my lip. Esani was one of the baddest women I’d ever dated. Her only flaw was that she didn’t open up much. I could tell she was hesitant, but I was working on getting her to trust me enough to give me all of her.
“Get the hearts out ya eyes, nigga, and introduce me to the players!” DeAngelo jested, bumping my shoulder.
I chuckled. “Oh, my bad. Come on.”
* * *
After introducing DeAngelo to the players and promising them I’d celebrate with them when they won the playoffs, DeAngelo and I headed toward the exit to meet back up with the ladies. While approaching the side exit where we had entered, I could see Esani talking to some nigga. His palm was on the wall beside her head while hers was on his chest, I assumed to keep him from getting too close. I frowned because it didn’t look like they were just having a normal conversation. His face displayed a look of frustration while hers looked pleading. I wasn’t a jealous man, but I was locked in with Esani already and didn’t like the exchange of energy between them. I spotted Tania heading toward us as she smiled nervously.
“Who is that she’s talking to?” I asked as soon as she was within earshot.
“Oh, I’m not sure.”
“Hmph…We’ll meet y’all at the bar.”
“You good, bro?” DeAngelo asked. He gave me a look that said he was ready to get busy if need be.
“I’m good. We’re right behind y’all.”
I headed in their direction just as Esani’s eyes met mine. I could see her tense as the nigga’s eyes followed hers and came to me.
“You ready, E?” I asked her, staring at homie.
“E, who dis?” the nigga asked.
“Kwame Wiles.” I held out my hand for him to shake, and he reluctantly reciprocated.
“Kwame, this is a friend of mine, Solomon. Solomon, this is my man friend, Kwame.”
“Your man.” I corrected her.
“Oh, you’re the new sponsor of the month, huh?” he asked as he chuckled.
“Shut the hell up, Solomon. Baby, I’m ready.”
I looked down at her. I was unsettled with how casually she was acting about this nigga and his punk ass sense of humor . She took my hand and guided me toward the exit.
“See you next month, E!” he called out and laughed.
Esani and I didn’t speak the entire way to my truck. I opened the door for her as she climbed inside then walked around to get in the driver’s seat.
“Kwame…”
“I’m not a man who likes to play games, Esani. I’m thirty-six years old and have acquired a lot in my life. I feel like I’m finally in a place where I’m ready to settle down and enjoy the fruits of my labor. I give back to my community, and I help people make wise decisions with their money and businesses. The only thing I’m missing is a wife to share this journey with.
Tell me right now what’s it going to be between us. If you want the street dude, you can get out right now and go to him, but if you want to be with me, then you have to show me. That type of shit that just went down…I’m not with that. The ball is in your court.”
She sighed deeply and turned in her seat to look at me. “I want you, Kwame. I was just telling him to stop contacting me. I’ve never done this before, but you’re making me feel differently about relationships. You make me feel like a queen…as if I walk on water with glass slippers on. I trust you more than I trust myself, and that scares me. But I don’t want to lose you. I promise my attraction to you isn’t a game. I like being with you.” She rubbed the side of my face with the back of her hand. I grabbed it and kissed her hand.
“Good. I don’t want to see that shit no more. I ain’t a jealous man, but I’m very territorial over what’s mine, and you, Esani, are mine.”
She smiled and leaned over the seat, tonguing me down. I grabbed a handful of her ass and slapped it.
“Tell me you’re mine, Esani,” I commanded, slipping my hand up her dress and sliding her panties to the side. I rubbed her clit as she moaned into my mouth.
“Say it,” I urged again.
“Kwame…” She groaned breathlessly as I rubbed faster.
“Tell me, Esani.”
“I-I’m…I’m yours. Shit! I’m about to cum.”
“Good girl. Cum for me.”
She ground her hips while I sucked her neck until I felt her pussy throb and legs shake. I pulled my hand from under her dress and licked my fingers clean.
“Fuck,” she moaned. “Damn.”
I chuckled. “Fuck that bar. We’re going back to my place so I can punish that pussy for you being in that nigga’s face,” I told her, starting the truck and pulling out of the parking space to head home.