Chapter 10
10
I thought it was a fluke. Just a wild one-off I’d think about from time to time. There was no way I’d see her again.
But then she called.
And here we were.
She lay there, naked, tangled in my sheets, wearing my baseball cap. Kennedy had put it on to be a pest, but I liked the sight of her in it, lying there. Her foot was poking out of the end of the sheets, exposing her white painted toenails.
I stood at the end of the bed, taking her in, completely mesmerized. If she were mine, I would’ve taken a picture to cement the memory.
But she didn’t belong to me.
Kennedy told me she couldn’t love me. It wasn’t something I needed to hear. Especially after Leila. But for the time being, I could deal with a little no-strings-attached sex every now and then as I figured myself out.
There just had to be rules in place. A clear guideline to keep things organized and concise.
And right now, we were already breaking rules.
The day had winded down, the sun already having sunk in the sky. She’d wanted to come back to bed, and I’d indulged her.
As a true test to my willpower, I took her on her back, peering into her eyes as I buried myself deep inside her. The sensation of Kennedy made me weak on impact and it took great strength to hold it together. To accept that something in life could feel that fucking good. Watching her unravel for me, feeling her clench around me, hearing her sounds of pleasure, it all drove me to the edge. Before long, I brought her to the brink, until she was awash in waves of exhilaration, soon coming to shore behind her.
It definitely wasn’t a fluke, and as long as we kept our emotions in check, I wouldn’t mind keeping it going.
I was only wearing my joggers, an attempt to keep myself off her. Her smooth dark brown leg sticking out of my navy bedding called to me. The teasing smile on her full lips I’d yet to taste, irked me. The smell of her perfume soaking the air, made my nose twitch.
It had been too long since I’d had a woman over. Especially like this.
I shook my head. “See, this can’t happen.”
Kennedy fingered my sheets. “Are you kicking me out, Keith?”
I opened my mouth, but the sound of her stomach growling cut in.
Kennedy frowned, pressing her palm to her middle as she sat up. “Guess I should be going.”
She said dinner wasn’t necessary, but I couldn’t let her go like this. “Nah, stay. I can whip somethin’ up for you real quick.”
Kennedy bit her lip, a habit I noticed she held. A distracting habit. “No, it’s okay.”
“Let me feed you,” I insisted.
Kennedy wasn’t sure. I watched her weigh the idea in her head, ultimately coming to the conclusion it was a bad choice as she shook her head in refusal. “I’m fine.”
Her stomach protested that remark by making a sound once more.
I folded my arms, standing my ground. Okay, I could do the whole “friends-with-benefits” thing, but I wasn’t an asshole. She was clearly hungry and I wasn’t about to just throw her out. Discard her as if she were trash.
“Listen,” I began, getting straight to the point. “I’m nice in the kitchen, but I promise if I feed you, you’re not gonna fall in love with me, baby girl.”
Kennedy peered over at me and I didn’t back down. “Okay, but I don’t eat meat. Just fish.”
That proposed an issue. “I don’t have anything thawed out.” I grabbed my cell phone from my dresser and peeped the time. “And it’s a little too late to order takeout on a Sunday.” I lifted my head as I devised a plan. “I’ll run to the store real quick and get something fresh. Finnegan’s is still open.”
“Oh, Keith, you don’t have to go through all the trouble.” Kennedy sat up some more and clutched my sheets to her breasts.
Not to be deterred, I pressed on as I grabbed a fresh pair of socks from my drawer and put them on. “What kind of fish do you like?”
Kennedy sighed. “I love skinless salmon, but any white or mild fish will do.”
I nodded, mentally penciling it down. I chanced a look at her over my shoulder, catching the vulnerability on her face. She had a lot going on: forced engagement, sick father, and who knew what else. “You wanna ride with me?”
Kennedy smiled and relaxed, and the sight of her calming down brought me peace. “Yeah, but I don’t feel like getting dressed. Hand me my purse. I’ll pay for my fish.”
I shook my head and stepped into my shoes. “Gotchu.”
After grabbing a shirt and pulling it on, I went and sat beside her. The action caused her to shrink. That shy side of her coming forth.
I didn’t trust myself to touch her, so I didn’t.
“Can I have my hat back?” I asked politely.
Kennedy blushed, shaking her head. “Uh-uh. You gave me a bad hair day, and now I’m going to wear this hat until I leave.”
Despite the fact she was being a brat, I smiled. “Okay.”
Kennedy looked at me in a way only she could. Curiously. Innocently. Thoroughly. “You have a nice smile.”
I rubbed at my jaw, looking away. “Do I?”
“Yeah, it’s handsome,” Kennedy replied.
Some thought of me as scary, intense—someone to avoid. At the shop, all it took was one look to get my coworkers out of my face when they were incompetent or annoying the shit out of me.
“Hey.” Kennedy poked my arm, briefly fingering a tattoo. “Why didn’t you kiss me?”
My gaze immediately went to her mouth. “Because you don’t want me to.”
Kennedy shrugged. “I said you could.”
I declined. “I’ll kiss you when you want it.”
There was nothing worse than a lazy kiss, lazy head, or a lazy fuck. I wanted energy. Desire. And unless Kennedy was feeling it, I’d back off.
Kennedy pouted and that was way too tempting. “Now you’re holding out.”
I leaned in, closing the gap between us. Taking her chin in my hand, I lifted her face up and peered down at her. I stared at her as she stared up at me.
Shit, that face was too pretty.
“I’ll be back,” I said in the end.
She scoffed. “Fine, maybe I don’t want your cigarette breath on me anyway.”
Perking a brow, I questioned her. She shot me a sassy look in response.
Brat .
To settle the score, quickly, I leaned down and nipped her bottom lip with my teeth. The contact sent a brief jolt to my chest.
Kennedy’s tongue snaked out and swiped my lip before I could pull away. A rush of blood shot straight to my dick.
“Careful,” I said as I reared back and licked my lips.
Kennedy appeared playful as her hooded gaze lingered on me. “Or what? You’ll punish me?”
I forced myself to stand up and get away from her. “You want anything sweet? They have a nice bakery.” I grabbed my keys from my dresser and looked over at Kennedy again, awaiting her reply.
She shook her head. “No thanks.”
I went to leave, but as I passed by the kitchen on the way out, something caught my eye.
Leila’s grocery list.
I crossed over to it, going and reading it over like I didn’t know it by heart after so much time.
Eggs
Bacon
Rice
Bread
Baby Spinach
…smile because I love you
My hand fell upon the old slip of paper.
It had been over a year since we parted ways. She’d moved on, found herself a good time under the spotlight and with a new partner. Me, I guessed I’d finally moved on as well. If only as a fuck buddy—someone to call whenever Kennedy needed some dick. Nothing deep. Nothing real. Nothing true.
“ You not goin’ nowhere. ” Leila’s words echoed in my ears and I felt a piece of me chip off.
This arrangement was another testament to her words.
The whole thing was ridiculous really. Kennedy had a Chanel bag, an expensive ride, and designer clothes on her back. The epitome of “Black girl luxury.” This was just supposed to be sex, and it would only work that way. I wasn’t sure I’d ever not feel dirty for touching her. Hampton Hills’s princess.
“Keith?” Kennedy suddenly called out to me. “If you can, bring me back a brownie? I’ll do whatever you want if it’s frosted.”
The sweetness she’d dipped her tone into managed to turn my mood around, causing me to smile.
She was a spoiled brat, but looking at her, I couldn’t blame a guy for falling on his knee to give her what she wanted.
Despite our class differences, it wasn’t hard to miss that Kennedy wasn’t that experienced. Especially in the bedroom. I could tell by the way she reacted when I touched her. The way her body responded to mine. The feel of her coming around me.
Maybe all I could ever amount to was offering her sex. But at least it was good sex.
I avoided Leila’s list and saw myself out of the house. I had some shopping to do.
Finnegan’s was fairly busy when I parked my Tahoe in the half-full parking lot. As I got out, right away I spotted Dominique in a lime reflective safety vest pushing carts back into the store. The kid was still holding on to this job, a sight that gave me a sense of pride. I wasn’t the best role model to follow after, but if I could steer Dom right, I’d feel worth a damn.
He had his earbuds in when I caught up to him at the east entrance. I had to tap his arm to gain his attention.
Ready to fight, Dominique spun around and glared at me. Up close, I could see he wasn’t in the best of moods, something instantly putting me on alert.
“?’Sup?” I held my hand out and he reluctantly slapped his against mine before coming in for a quick hug.
Dom shrugged his shoulders and frowned at the ground. “Not much.”
Like me, he wasn’t one to be smiling and glowing with an approach-me aura, but something about his vibe was off. Wary.
“What’s going on? You don’t look so hot,” I said.
Dominique moved out of the way as a man with a few of his kids came into the store. He grabbed a cart and placed a toddler in the seat before leading two more other children into the store.
I led Dominique outside and stood with him, wanting to get to the bottom of his mood.
“This ain’t enough, Keith, man,” Dominique said, gesturing around us, emphasizing his job. “They don’t pay me enough for this shit.”
“Language,” I corrected, earning an eye roll. “I know it’s hard, but stick to it. Now, you’re doin’ carts, maybe in time you can get promoted to do something in the store and get a raise.”
Dom hung his head, shaking it. “It’s just me, my mom, and my sister, man. My mom not workin’ as much as she used to. Her back be hurtin’.”
Shit.
Being where we were from, having money issues, often led down a very bad path.
When I was fifteen, I’d joined a local gang. Getting jumped in proved to be a painful feat, but I’d done it, under the guise that it was worth it. To belong. At a chance to make money if needed. I’d never sold—much to my mother’s relief—but I’d avoided the hard path for an easy way out.
Dominique would be better than me.
“And?” I pressed, wanting to know what he was thinking.
Dom sucked his teeth, looking off into the distance as he still had a good amount of carts to collect. “My boy got some work for me. He been talkin’ about me linkin’ with ’im to get some extra money.”
I closed my eyes and bit my tongue, stopping myself from lashing out. Nobody when they’re young likes being told what to do.
I scrubbed my hand down my face. “I’m here. If you need a little extra money for help around the house, you got my number, you know how to reach me.”
Dominique’s eyes cut to me, the pride in them prominent. “And beg for a handout?”
“I’d rather give you my last than let you do something that’s gonna potentially fuck you up for life,” I told him.
I never wanted for much. I was damn near living paycheck-to-paycheck before Uncle Rod let me start using the garage to do side jobs as far as painting and customizing went. But I meant what I said. I’d rather zero out my entire bank account than let this kid start movin’ illegal.
Dominique frowned, refusing to look at me. “Keith.”
Tentatively, I reached out, placing my hand on his shoulder. In Bedford Heights, sometimes the city was counted out as a whole. But there was light here, good people with good intentions, and I’d do whatever it took to keep Dominique from falling by the wayside. To becoming another statistic.
“I got you,” I let him know firmly. “Do yourself a favor and stick with this job. You’re a minor now, but when the time comes, with school, you can elevate. Finnegan’s got a reputation for handin’ out scholarships for its employees. So, don’t act like followin’ your boys is the only way.”
Dominique issued out a lopsided smile as he slowly bobbed his head.
I pulled him closer and gave him a quick hug. Not wanting to be too mushy since his energy was still hostile. “Keep your head up.”
I let Dominique get back to work as I went back inside and collected a shopping basket.
The fresh smell of fish greeted me as I headed over to the seafood section of the store. The department was still open, and as I browsed their selections I was elated to see that they had skinless salmon like Kennedy liked. I ordered a couple filets before going over to the bakery and picking out a pack of chocolate frosted brownies.
I wouldn’t make her do anything for them. It wasn’t her thing to give head, but I was glad she’d enjoyed it when I felt her wetness on my fingers when I touched her. I wouldn’t push, but I was hoping she’d do it again, on her own, unprovoked.
For now, she could have the brownies simply because she wanted them.
After checking out at the register I made a stop at the ATM and withdrew three hundred dollars. It wasn’t much, but I hoped it showed I was someone Dominique could count on.
“Come on, man.” Dominique’s eyes got a little glassy as I met him outside and slid him the money. “I don’t want that.”
When he shook his head once more, I reached out and put the money into his hoodie’s pouch. “Take it. I mean it, I’m here. So is Savon. You’re not alone, Dom. We got you.”
Misty eyed, he dapped me up and nodded. “Thank you.”
I ruffled his plaits. “Always got you.”
Because I didn’t want to overwhelm him, and let the fish sit out for too long, I left him to finish his shift as I got back in my truck.
By the time I made it home I noticed Kennedy’s car was gone. Inside, in my bedroom, I found a note and a fifty-dollar bill on my copy of Night Changes .
Family emergency. – Sorry, K.
Sighing, I went and put the fish in the freezer.
I wasn’t disappointed. This was just a fling. Nothing more. Nothing less.