Chapter 7 | Jace
Touching the mark she left on my shoulder, I smoked another blunt while she slept in my arms. Spirit had been the only woman I ever loved. I don’t know why I couldn’t just tell her that I’ve been in love with her too. If she knew, she might give her all to me as she once did. I blew smoke toward the ceiling. I would leave a thousand in cash for housekeeping so they would clean out the smell without reporting me.
I didn’t tell Spirit she’s the only woman I’ve ever loved for the same reason I didn’t back then. Afraid I wouldn’t meet her expectations. I remember the day we moved in next door, and she stared at me. Any other girl would’ve done it, and I would’ve thought it creepy. But I can recall as clear as day that my heart jumped when I noticed the pretty girl next door. I couldn’t wait to walk with her to school to see her again. I knew Trinity from school but didn’t know she had a sister. A sister who was gifted and didn’t eat with the rest of us. She was brilliant, and I struggled to even read. I acted out in class because I didn’t understand why I couldn’t do what everyone else seemed to do easily. I didn’t know until I was in high school because of an English teacher who took her time with me and noticed that I had dyslexia. I never wanted Spirit to know, so I hid it from her and loved her from near yet afar. Anytime she seemed interested in another dude or seemed to be losing interest in me, I started hanging at her locker again or finding a way to walk her home. I’d been selfish. Unwilling to be with her myself, yet unable to see her with anyone else.
She frowned when she slowly opened her eyes this morning. “What’s wrong?”
“Thinking you need to know that the only reason I brought LaShonda to the prom was because she told me she was pregnant with my baby and threatened to tell my parents if I didn’t take her. I was seventeen with scholarships everywhere, and I’d gotten some girl I didn’t even care about pregnant. I was embarrassed and ashamed and would do anything to keep her quiet. Then there was my Snookie. That’s what I called you in my head. I asked you to go to the prom because I planned to ask you to be my girlfriend. I thought of you coming to Howard two years later, and we would be together. Once LaShonda told me she was pregnant, I couldn’t face you. I didn’t want to see the disappointment and hurt on your face. When I heard you were leaving for Paris, I thought it was best that we didn’t see each other anymore. A fresh start for everyone so you could meet a dude much better to you than I had ever been.”
“What happened to the baby?”
I stared at the blunt. “He wasn’t mine. Shortly after he was born, my mother wanted a paternity test. See, told you some women fucked over me.”
“You wanted me to be your girlfriend?” she caressed my cheek. “Aww...Jace.”
“You dodged a bullet,” I said wryly. “I was out there bad for a long time.”
“Why do you seem sad?”
“I have two ex-wives who hate me, and last night, you told me you didn’t want to be around me. Scared to hurt you again. Scared you won’t give me a real chance.”
“I’m here now.”
I flipped on my side to face her. “Exactly. You’re here now. What about the future?”
“I thought we were getting to know one another. Are you saying you want to be with me?”
Pushing through my nervousness and fears, I replied, “Yeah, I do. Otherwise, I’m going to jail because I can’t stand when another man looks at you like he can have you. I wanted to hurt MJ and he’s been my boy since high school. I still want to meet this neighbor you seem to trust.” I gazed into her beautiful face. “I don’t want to lose you again after finally finding you. Scared I’ll mess it up somehow. And it’s not about controlling my dick. My daughter cured me of fucking around on women the minute she told me she liked a boy. I have to be an example for her so that she won’t accept shitty men.”
She rubbed my cheek. “Where is your daughter?”
“She’s a social work major at Prairieview. We eat at least one meal together every week. She’s my pride and joy.” I beamed. “You and she will get along so well. Probably much better than she does with her own mama.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” She rested her chin on my chest. “What’s her name?”
“Jalisah.”
She chuckled. “You came up with that name.”
“How do you know? Oh, never mind.”
We smiled and replied together, “Truth or Dare at Trinity’s sixteenth party.”
“I remember being so impressed that you had your children’s names already picked out.” She suddenly settled her naked body on top of mine, took my blunt out of my hand, and puffed. Her eyes widened. “Wait, am I going to get sick because there’s nothing on my stomach?”
“This is Durban Poison. It’s supposed to help with nausea. Provides energy, focus, and creativity. If it does affect you, then it just means we order room service.” I replied, observing the strait-laced woman I met a month ago, laying on top of me, her braids draped over her naked breasts. “I’m already corrupting you.”
“Why do you insist on having this perception of us as this bad boy/good girl dynamic? When we were children and teenagers, that fit. Now, it’s about choices we willingly make.” She kissed me. “Like right now, you’re being all philosophical, and what I want is for you to fuck me. I’ve waited almost twenty-five years for your dick, and I’m nowhere finished with it. Because you were supposed to get some on prom night.”
I placed the blunt on the side table. “Real talk. I was prepared to have blue balls on prom night. Figured you wouldn’t give it up until we’d been official for a few months.” I curved my hands to her face. “How did I get so lucky to move into the house next to you?”
Spirit gazed at me adoringly, and my heart quickened at the expression I’d seen so many times when we were young. Before I could second-guess myself, I confessed, “I love you, Spirit Angel Kimble.”
She inhaled deeply, and I traced her lower lip with my thumb.
“I’m not expecting a response. As a matter of fact, I want you to wait, even if you want to tell me you love me too. Wait until we’re back in Houston. When we’re back in the restaurant, and you’re pissed with me about something or another. Then I’ll receive it.”
Reaching down between us, she grasped my erection and slid me inside of her without a condom. She started rocking her hips. “Mmm...we can get a condom if you want. I had to feel you inside of me naturally.”
“I haven’t felt a woman’s pussy in years. Fuck. I’m not going to last long.” My hands grasped her waist, and my thumbs teased her nipples. “So if you don’t want me to bust a nut inside of you, you better let me put a condom on.”
Spirit only raised her arms in the air like the genie she’d been when I caught her dancing in the kitchen and continued riding me. Her breasts were mine for the taking and lifted enough to suckle one while roughly playing with the other one. She moved faster against me and closed her eyes tight. Her end was also already near. I gripped her hips and held her down as I thrust upward, over and over, faster and faster, the friction of her wetness and my hardness propelling me quickly into an urgent need to explode. She now held on to my chest as I pumped at a breakneck speed, and I crooned, “I’m about to....come...” as cum spurt up and inside of her. I wanted my seed inside of her, so I continued to thrust inside until I emptied myself. Hoping selfishly that we made a baby.