7. Akari
My eyes widened when I didn't see Avani's car in the driveway of her old house.
It had me wondering where the hell she was.
Did she not come today? I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and went to my call log.
She was the last person I talked to last night before I went to sleep.
The phone rang and rang, causing me to frown. She answered on the fourth ring.
"Hello?" she spoke groggily. I know damn well she wasn't still in the bed when it was close to noon.
"You're in bed late. What gives?"
She snorted. "Like you don't know. I was unable to wake up for work this morning. We didn't get off the phone until nearly three in the morning."
I laughed, resting my head against the headrest. "You had to be the one to put me to sleep. I had just come in from partying with my homies. I'm still tired, too. I just left home after taking a shower. I was up early, working out in the gym. Let me come lay with you."
There was silence on the other end of the phone. "You don't even have my address."
I grinned. "Are you going to give it to me?" I would like to give it to her all night long.
The thoughts I was starting to have for Avani were wild as hell. It had to be the kisses we were sharing. Just the thought of picking her up in my arms and kissing her senseless almost had me begging her to give me the address.
She sighed and gave me her address. I smiled and told her I'd be on my way.
"Wassup?" I dropped a kiss on her lips when she let me into her home. I took a moment to let my eyes roam down her body. Avani looked good in the pajama set she had on. "You look good."
Avani's curves were on display, and I got the chance to see her sexy chocolate thighs. She had her feet done in white toenail polish. Even her feet were small and pretty.
She waved me off and walked away. With a smirk, I followed behind her, observing her house as we went up the stairs. She had a beautifully decorated home in yellow, gray, and white. It fit her.
When we walked into her bedroom, the aroma of her room was vanilla — her scent. Damn, my mouth watered. I had a feeling it was going to be hard lying with her. Truth be told, I was surprised she was letting me lie in her bed with her.
While she got back in bed, I stripped down to my basketball shorts. Her eyes were on me, and I was trying my hardest not to laugh. I placed my clothes on the beanbag she had in the corner of her bedroom.
"Are you going to scoot over?" I asked her, walking closer to the bed.
Avani grumbled before moving around in the bed.
As soon as I got in, I reached for her, wanting to feel her in my arms. Was it a good idea?
Hell no. But I wanted to feel her body against mine.
I laid my face against her neck, inhaling her scent, trying not to get hard.
Her ass was pressed against the front of me.
I was playing dangerous as hell, and who knew how it would turn out.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to hold me like this?" she asked.
"I don't know, but I am going to, anyway."
She grunted and squirmed against me. That wasn't a good thing for her to do.
"You better stop before you get my dick hard," I warned.
Avani became stiff as a board, causing me to laugh loudly. I needed to stop playing with her before she ended up kicking me out of her house. That was something I wasn't going for.
"Man, let's just go to sleep. You feel good as hell in my arms. Damn, what the hell is happening between us?" I asked.
"I don't know, nor do I know how to feel about it. It came out of nowhere. We are just friends," she softly stated.
"Yeah, I know that. I'm all for being your friend. It's just how the hell we got to kissing and me lying in your bed?"
"You!" she playfully snapped. "You did all of this."
I chuckled, knowing it to be true. "I'm not sorry. I love kissing you, and with you lying in my arms, it feels nice as hell. I don't want to let that go."
Avani grew silent. "As long as you know where we stand with each other."
I pulled her even closer to me. "Yeah, whatever you say."
We grew silent again, and I closed my eyes. Her even breathing pulled me into a deep slumber with her.
My eyes snapped open, and I peered around, seeing I was in an unfamiliar bed.
I sat up, and then it hit me where I was.
Wasting no time, I climbed out of bed to see where she was.
I peered into the bathroom and saw a rag and a fresh toothbrush sitting on the counter.
I smiled, having a feeling it was for me.
After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I exited the bathroom, heading downstairs to look for Avani.
I heard her before I saw her in the kitchen.
She was cooking something that smelled good as hell.
She turned around when I entered the kitchen.
The smile that spread on her lips went straight to my heart. Damn, I needed to get it together.
"Hey, are you hungry?" she asked.
"I could eat," I replied, taking a seat on the stool.
"Okay, I'm not a big fan of cooking and don't cook often, but I can make a waffle with chicken."
I smirked. "So, chicken and waffles, huh?"
Akari lowered her head, trying to hide a smile. "Yes. That's one of my favorite meals. My adopted mother used to make it for me all the time."
The way Akari moved around the kitchen, you'd think she enjoyed doing it. I enjoyed watching her move, too, so gracefully. The way her body filled out her pajama set had me wondering why the hell she was still single. Plus, she was beautiful as hell.
"I still can't believe you're single. You're too beautiful," I voiced what I was thinking.
Avani turned to face me with a sheepish grin. "You didn't say that when we were younger. All you called me was ‘nappy head’ and ‘skinny minny.’"
I laughed. "Man, I was a child then. Now I'm a man. Don't confuse the two."
While she cooked, we continued to talk about each other's lives and what we wanted to accomplish.
"When do you think you'll retire?"
I held my heart. "Just the thought of retiring... I don't want to do it, not yet. Hell, I'm only thirty years old. I don't have that on my mind right now. I can go for a few more years, but I'll start thinking about retirement when I get married and my wife starts having kids."
Avani nodded. "I don't think I'll ever get married or have kids. My husband doesn't need to want kids, either. Just the thought of having kids doesn't do it for me. My history is too toxic to tell a child about."
I hated that she felt that way and wished there were a way for me to erase her feelings about kids and family. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I had to try.
"I'm sorry you feel that way." I didn't know what else to say. Then, it hit me, causing me to frown. "Wait, don't you work with kids?"
She nodded, putting on a pair of gloves. "I do, but what does that have to do with me not liking kids?"
"Do you like kids?" I questioned.
She frowned with a nod, moving to turn on the stove. "Yes, I love kids, but what does that have to do with me wanting any of my own? Telling my kids their grandmother abandoned me will crush me. No, I won't do it." Her voice cracked.
I pressed my lips together. "But your adopted mother didn't abandon you.
She was there for you. You were blessed to have someone else in your life.
You have to let go of the past and live in the now.
It'll forever hold you back. God removed you from a situation that was bad for you and placed good in your life.
Never let your past overshadow your future. "
Avani gazed at me with tears in her eyes, making me get up from the stool and rush toward her.
"Aww, baby. Come here." I wrapped my arms around her waist as she buried her face in my chest. "Don't cry. I'm just trying to give you the real."
She sniffed and wrapped her arms around me tightly. "I know, and that's why I love talking to you, but you made me cry."
I caressed her back. "I'll never make you cry again.
I apologize for that, but I just gotta let you know what it is, man.
You have overcome everything in your childhood, which is what matters most. If you keep thinking about the past, it will hurt you each and every time.
I don't want that to happen to you. You feel me?
" At that moment, I felt a wave of protectiveness toward Avani.
I'd do all I could to keep her safe and guard her heart from anything that caused her pain.
She nodded against my chest. "Thank you for being you. You just talked junk to me in the nicest way possible."
I threw my head back and laughed. "I'm not sorry."
She drew back and looked at me with a tiny smile. "I don't expect you to be. Thank you so much, Akari. Your words mean a lot to me."
I leaned down to kiss her lips gently. I had to feel her lips against mine. "It's all good. You don't have to thank me. Just keep your head up for me.
"I will. Now, let me get back to cooking before the food burns."
I chuckled, letting go of her. "Word. You do that." While she continued to cook, we talked.
"If you could change one thing about our childhood, what would it be?" she asked, staring at me.
"Your circumstance. And you better fix your lip. Don't you dare start that damn crying again," I warned her.
She laughed and sniffed. "I won't. I won't. Gosh, what are you doing to me?"
"Saving you from the pain that wells deep inside of you."
"Get out," she sobbed with a laugh. "You're determined to make me cry today."
I threw my hands up. "I'm not going to say anything else about it. And I won't ask you either about what you would change. But I will ask you, when am I going to get some of that pussy of yours?"
She burst out laughing. "Boy! Stop! You won't! We are friends, so I won't be giving you any of my goodies."
I smirked. "Yeah, we will see. Keep thinking that."
She waved me off and turned to the stove to remove the chicken from the pot.
Soon after, we were sitting down, eating. And I must admit, I could get used to this with Avani. I didn't know if it was a good thought to have, but damn, it felt good waking up in her bed, although she didn't wake up in my arms.
I pushed my plate away after my second plate. "Man, I'm full as hell. I gotta hit the gym harder today."
She chuckled. "Nobody told you to go for seconds."
"Man, they were good as hell. I had no choice but to. You threw down. When are you going to make some more?"
She snickered with a shrug. "Whenever you want some more."
"Word. Say less. I'll keep you posted. I hate to eat and run, but I've got to hit the gym. Then my team has a meeting later."
She nodded and got up from the island. She took our plates with her and put them in the sink. "It's all good, and I understand."
Twenty minutes later, she was walking me to the door. I didn't want to leave her. "I'll be back to see you later. If I have it my way, I'll be staying the night."
She beamed. "Uhh... okay."
I picked her up in my arms, and she wrapped her legs around my waist like she always did.
We leaned forward at the same time, and our lips joined.
I pecked hers once and then twice before I went all the way in.
Our lips locked as our tongues tangled together.
She tightened her arms around my neck, and I walked until her back pressed against the door.
She pressed her chest against mine and let out a moan.
I nibbled on her bottom lip, and she hissed and bucked against me.
I smirked but kept kissing her. I ran my hands through her hair as her moans turned me on.
My dick grew hard and was aching. I wanted this woman.
I wanted to fuck the hell out of her. Just as I reached to pull her shirt up, she pulled her lips from mine. She panted heavily.
"We can't," she whispered against my lips.
"Yeah, I know. The kiss was just getting too damn good."
She smiled. "Yeah, it was. Did you not hear me moaning?"
I laughed a little. "That's why I was ready to fuck you. You need to stop and give me some of that pussy. Friends fuck friends."
She giggled and tried to get down. "No!" she exclaimed. "We're not doing that."
I put her down on her feet and backed away to give her room. "Word. I can respect that, but just know the many times you tell me no, you'll be saying yes just as many times. In more ways than one." I dropped a kiss on her lips. "I'll talk to you later."
I didn't give her time to say anything else before I left out of her house with a hard dick.
I wanted to be anywhere but here, but I knew I had to show up.
Kennis was here beside me, grumbling about not wanting to be here either.
We were at our team meeting, which we had every other month.
Since the playoffs were coming soon, we had to get this meeting done.
I didn't too much blame my coaches, but damn, why did they have to do the meeting today of all days?
I'd rather be under Avani getting on her nerves.
My teammates and I were sitting on the bleachers in the stadium, waiting for our coaches to come out and say what needed to be said.
"Man, how long will this be?" Kennis asked me.
I glowered at him. "How am I to know? I am here just like you. Ain't like you have anything to do but get fussed at by your girl," I joked.
Kennis glared at me. "Man, fuck you. Don't even bring her up right now. We're not even talking at the moment. I'm getting tired of her, for real."
I heard that before but decided not to comment on it. Just as I was about to change the subject, our coaches stood in front of us.
"We have a couple more months before the playoffs," Albert, one of the coaches, started.
Some of my teammates let it be known that we already knew that.
"We just want y'all to continue doing what you're doing. Y'all are doing amazing out there."
"We know this. We're fire on the court," one of my teammates called out.
Kennis laughed. "Yeahhh, I second that. We're doing the damn thing on the court."
"Let's not jinx it," Albert interjected.
"Man, never that. We're on fire and won't slow down. We got this in the bag," I declared, letting it be known we were taking home another ring. "We won't fail."
My teammates agreed with me.
"Well, since y'all got it. We don't need to say more. Just know that before you leave, we have practice, so you won't be going out or hanging out tonight."
We all groaned. Hell, I didn't want to go out anyway.
"I need to go out and take my mind off a few things, Kennis expressed.
I didn't comment on that either. What would be the point if he went back to the girl, and they talked like nothing had happened? It was best I minded my business. I had to do Kennis like I did my sister.