Chapter 8
eight
. . .
Three months later
Cassidy
“Jameson passes it out to Mitchell, and then back inside to Croft for the step back. It’s Croft for three, and it’s good!”
“Here’s Jackson with the rebound. He’s driving it down the court and to the basket for two.”
“The ball ricochets to Brooks, who passes it to Croft. He’s moving back down the court with such precision. And it’s a slam dunk, baby!”
The sports commentators continued to provide background noise in my bedroom, giving a play-by-play of the game Hendrix played against Detroit.
With my Egyptian cotton towel wrapped tightly around my body, I carried myself from my bathroom and into my closet to pull out my suitcase.
With one quick tug, I tossed it on top of my bed and cracked it open to start packing for my trip to Miami for a tech conference I was speaking at in a few days.
I’d always be a Cali girl at heart, but over the past three months, I had really started to find my groove in New York.
Hendrix’s realtor friend had come through, and I got to call a brand new two-bedroom apartment with a view from the thirty-second floor my new home on the Upper East Side.
I’d halfway figured out how to navigate the subway system, and I’d found a good takeout spot a few blocks away from my building with the best cheesecake I’d ever had in my life.
Aside from getting accustomed to new responsibilities at work, I’d spent my time in the city that ‘never sleeps’ getting both my new place and my fragile heart in order.
As I started on my true journey of healing, I let the words of my girls and Hendrix soak in, only to realize that I was passing off the broken, unhealed version of myself as something more complete than what I was.
My laundry list of failed relationships and underlying current of insecurity had created a festering wound that I never took the time out to properly nurse.
I slapped a band-aid over it and kept moving.
Truthfully, my heart still hadn’t processed the magnitude of damage Omar caused, and then I allowed Hendrix to come in and take the battered and scarred pieces that were left.
So, I cut both dating and sex from my diet completely and awarded myself with time to grow and heal until I felt I could come correct.
When that time came, the only person I was going to step to was Hendrix Croft.
I wanted to make sure I had nothing but harvested positive energy to give to him because it was what he deserved most.
I swiped up the remote and turned the TV volume down when I heard the factory iPhone ringtone. “Hey, girl,” I answered for Lauryn.
“Hey, lady. What are you doin’?”
“Just got out of the shower not too long ago,” I said, plopping down on my side of the bed.
“What about you? How’s mommy life treating you?
I can’t believe I still haven’t gotten the chance to fly out and meet little miss Bleu yet.
These FaceTime calls ain’t cuttin’ it. I want all the baby cuddles! ”
“It’s…fuckin’ nothin’ like I thought it would be. All she does is piss and shit and throw up all day. And then has the nerve to not wanna go to sleep. Like, sis, chill. You ain’t missin’ nothin’ out in these streets,” she complained.
I could hear the irritability from lack of sleep in her voice. “Oh, the joys of motherhood.”
“You gon’ find out one day, trust.”
I cocked my head to the side. “You have to have sex to get pregnant, remember?”
She chuckled. “Shit, not these days.”
“Have Brielle or Shauna been by?”
“They both have on separate occasions, but you know Bri is starting her new job in Sacramento next week, so she’s been trying to get settled.”
“I hear that. I still have boxes stuffed in the corner frowning at me,” I admitted.
“Shauna’s ass came by just before she headed to the airport.”
I smacked my turned-up lips. “That hoe ain’t tell me she was going out of town when I talked to her last.”
“Hell yeah. She’s on the move, move! Talkin’ ‘bout she need a six-month vacation twice a year.” She giggled.
I belted out a quick laugh. “I know that’s right. I’m with her on that! I’d give anything to be laid up on somebody’s beach right now. That’s exactly what I plan to do at least one of these days I’m in Miami,” I babbled, before getting up to toss my bikini into my suitcase.
“Um, excuse me? Miami? What exactly do you have planned this weekend? Why wasn’t I invited?” She pouted.
“Chill. It’s all work, and little to no play. I’m speaking at a tech conference there on Thursday. I’m actually trying to pack a few things right now.”
“Oh wee! Look at you! My bitch is headlining business conferences and shit now! Okay! I see you!”
“Chill, I’m far from the headliner, but it’s still pretty dope,” I acknowledged.
“Dope, indeed.”
I distractedly sidled down the hallway and over to the oversized window in the living room taking in the 360-degree view of the city. “Yeah…”
“So…” Lauryn probed.
“What?”
“I heard the game on in the background…when’s the last time you spoke to you know who?”
I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly who she was referring to. “Maybe a week or two ago. Not really sure.” I shrugged.
Although I was taking a much-needed break from men, my soul still missed Hendrix like no other. He checked in from time to time, or I would reach out to congratulate him on a win or offer a kind word or two after a loss, but we’d had no physical contact. Not even a FaceTime call.
“Not really sure, huh?”
I lied before turning my attention back to the screen to watch him dribble the ball as his shoes screeched down the glossy court. “Nope. But uh, I do know he’ll be in Miami the same time as me. So, who knows, maybe we’ll cross paths.”
“And then will you finally give up this cheesy ass vow of celibacy and let that nigga break yo’ back for old times’ sake?”
I snicked. “If it’ll make you happy, I’ll think about it.”
“Yes, it would make me ecstatic to know somebody done took the stick out your ass and put it in a better spot,” she joked.
We both let out roar after roar of laughter before they were drowned out by the sound of a very unhappy baby who was either hungry, wet, or a combination of the two.
Lauryn smacked her teeth. “But nah, Cass—I’m glad you’re taking the time you need to get right with yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“But let me go tend to the princess. You know I gotta jump when she say jump, or shit gets real around here.”
“Oh, you ain’t know Miss Bleu runs shit now?”
“She’s a serious boss baby and can’t walk or talk yet.”
“If she’s anything like you then you’re in for a crazy ride for the next eighteen years.”
“Pray for me, girl.”
I put my hands up. “I got you girl, black prayer hands and all,” I promised her.
“Bye, Cass.”
“Later, girl.”
I touched down in Miami Thursday evening and headed straight to my hotel room at the Fontainebleau in South Beach.
I’d been to Miami a handful of times in the past and nothing compared to it.
From the breathtaking views of the ocean to the comfortable beds, it screamed luxury.
After stepping out of the shower, I wrapped myself in the plush bathrobe and stepped out onto my private balcony and took in the beautiful view of the sun setting against the ocean’s horizon.
My feet topped the railing as my hands naturally found themselves underneath my robe and roaming across my body like nomads.
With my eyes slammed shut, I slid one hand in between my thighs while the other massaged my breasts.
The combination of the soft fabric and warm evening breeze felt soothing against my freshly washed skin and made my nipples get harder and harder.
My mouth gaped open as I slowly rubbed my pussy in slow circles while imagining my fingers were Hendrix’s.
Although my heart and body had gone on hiatus, they were both still in his possession.
I craved his touch so much that I thought about him every time I made myself cum.
“Mmm shit,” I moaned as I pressed my fingertips against the hood of my clit.
Fully into the moment, I untied the robe and exposed my fully naked body underneath. I licked my fingertips and slipped two fingers inside me as I imagined his panty-dropping voice whispering all the dirty things he wanted to do to me.
“Fuck!” I squealed.
Cream gushed against my fingertips as I slid them in and out me. I spread my legs wide and hiked my leg back to get the most out of my private pussy play session. My eyes tore down to my glistening pussy as I continued strumming my fingers against my clit like a guitar.
“Oh shit! Oh shit! I’m cumming,” I moaned as I thrusted forward against my fingers.
My back arched out of the chair as I squeezed my thighs together to brace myself for a spine-tingling orgasm. After cumming, I left the robe hanging over the balcony railing and skated back inside to grab my vibrator and finish what my fingers had started.
The next morning, I found myself dressed and enjoying my morning coffee on the same cozy lounge chair I’d finger-fucked myself to the evening prior. With my mug in one hand and presentation notes in the other, I went over all my key talking points.
“Good morning and thank you all for joining today’s session. My name is Cassidy Stokes, and—fuck,” I mumbled when my phone rang.
I quickly glanced down at the screen to see my mother calling and answered the phone with aggravation in my greeting. “Hey.”
“Cassidy?”
Knowing we were on opposite sides of the country, I glanced down at my watch to check what time it was. “Mom, it’s like six o’clock in the morning over there. Why are you calling me so early?” I quizzed.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
I rolled my eyes, knowing how dramatic she could be at times. “Can it wait? I’m kind of in the middle of trying to get in the right headspace. I’m in Miami giving a presentation at a conference in like an hour and a half.”
“Okay. Call me back then.”
“Okay.”
“Cassidy Jhene Stokes, I’m serious. Call me back, please.”