Chapter Forty-Five #2
Amir and Aaliyah huddled with my aunts while Celeste hung off to the side chatting with Gia, who dapped me up when I passed.
Celeste didn’t have her usual resting murdery face so I was perplexed at that dynamic.
But I needed to stay focused. From my peripheral I thought I saw Colette twirling her hair with Poppy but there were so many bodies in here I couldn’t be sure.
“Aaliyah, can we chat?”
Her short pixie cut accentuated every facial movement, similar to Bee’s. “Sure.”
Amir’s forehead rose with surprise but thankfully didn’t try to intervene as I led Aaliyah out the door and back into the hallway.
“Good game, Young.”
“Thanks.” I smiled genuinely. “Look I just wanted you to know I understand where you’re coming from.” I lowered my voice. “With Bee and I.”
“Right.”
“But I need you to understand impulsivity is the opposite of what’s going on between us.
” I took a breath, already grateful for the practice I had with baring my soul.
“We’ve had a connection before, when we were younger, and neither of us acknowledged it and it grew and festered into what became my hurt and her animosity. ”
“You did more than just hurt my sister Nola, you almost ruined her chance at the Jaguars.” Aaliyah wasn’t letting up, nor did she need to.
“I know! And I promise I made sure Bee knows I’d grovel the rest of our years together.
And I promise we tried to ignore and avoid the connection between us now…
=but we realized we’d be doing a disservice to each other.
What we have is special. She is special.
We’ve fought and we’ve compromised and we’ve been honest. She absolutely has me wrapped around her fingerl and I’m happy about that!
I know she won’t show it, but your opinion does mean a lot to her. ”
“You don’t have to like me, trust me I know, but can you at least be happy for her?
That’s all I ask. This morning Celeste asked me what my biggest regret was and, it was that I never spoke up for myself with her.
I never told her how I felt, I just let everything else happen with no regard for my heart, even if I was terrified of getting rejected.
I regret everyday the time I wasted that then turned into something bitter.
But I know I’ll never do it again. I’m holding on to Bee, and I’m never letting go. ”
I wasn’t granted a quick answer from Aaliyah. Instead, she took her time assessing my face, then looked me up and down. Her mouth showed her answer before she even had to open it, her scowl melted from harsh lines to a softer demeanor.
“If you hurt my sister, I will end you, Nola Young. Relationship with Rashida and Allison be damned.”
“That’s all I ask.”
“And for the record I don’t not like you… you’re just always on my sister’s ass.”
I laughed at Aaliyah’s honesty, “How do you think we got here?”
“I have a surprise for you.” I held a sturdy, small dark blue box for Bee to take.
“Why?” She drew out, proceeding with caution as she stepped toward me. Her eyes squinted and her mouth scowled like I still couldn’t be trusted. But I knew she had been in a better mood since I told her I talked to Aaliyah and we gossiped about Gia and Celeste.
I didn’t let her suspicion trow me off, though. “It’s your birthday gift.” I smiled.
“My birthday was last month, my love.” She eyed the box like it was a bomb now.
“Yes, I am aware of your Aries star sign.”
“Who gives a gift a month late?” Damn she wouldn’t let up.
I thrust the box closer to her, my giddiness starting to turn into self-doubt.
For a brief second I thought my smile would wilt, but then I remembered who I was debating.
My favorite person in the world, second to my sister, was a professional ball buster, someone who wouldn’t let me have a second of peace.
“Nola, I know we’re gay, but it’s entirely too early to get engaged.”
“Brittney Lee…” My patience was running low.
“Fine, fine!” She snatched the box greedily from my generous hand, her eyes were bright and anticipatory.
“I’ll never catch a break with you, will I?”
“How else do you think we’re supposed to keep this interesting?”
As she opened the box and eyed the jewelry sitting on the center cushion, I slipped my own piece into place.
“Nola what is this—” She looked up at me, where I was smiling wide to reveal a piece of gold jewelry sitting on my bottom canine and the tooth next to it.
“Oh my god, you got me a grill!” She screamed into the kitchen. “Oh my God, we have matching grills?!” My heart nearly exploded from the look on her face.
In the same way I had tried to memorize every bit of Brittney, I had done the same for her emotions and how she presented them.
Every emotion Bee possessed morphed her face completely.
It was clear as day when we were on the court as opponents, but it was even more special to see in the privacy of our home.
Immediately her eyes welled with tears, but her smile didn’t crack off her face.
“Why did you do this?” She looked at me like I did something heroic or worthy enough to receive a medal.
“I heard you ask for it for your birthday. So I called my jeweler up.” I shrugged at my best attempt at being nonchalant, but that didn’t exist when I orbited around Bee. Our matching grills had an ocean wave set in the middle that matched our team logo.
“Who just casually has a jeweler?” Bee rolled her eyes and laughed, wiping the tears that fell freely.
“Be serious, Brittney. You’ve seen my collection.”
“Nola this is too nice, I absolutely cannot accept this.”
“And why the hell not? Consider it your birthday and will you be my girlfriend gift.”
“They do that?”
“People do grand gestures.” I nodded. “And you deserve one too.”
Tears slipped easily from her face but her gaze kept pinging between me and the gold jewelry.
She stepped into me and tucked her face into my neck. It was quickly becoming my favorite way to hold her.
“Can you please put it on so we can take a picture?”
Bee pulled back so fast I thought she’d fall out of my grasp. “You want to take a picture?! Willingly?!”
“I like it when you show me off. Even if it’s only us that knows.”
Bee slipped the grill easily onto her bottom teeth, “You don’t need to tell me twice.” Bee took her phone out and snapped a picture of our faces close together pulling on our bottom lip to show off our new ice.
“Damn, we look good.” I looked at the two of us.
“I think you like me, Nola Young.” Bee kissed my cheek.
“I can show you better than I can tell you.” I winked.
“Sorry, but I think that’s my job tonight.”
“There is absolutely no way you’re having all the fun, tonight.” I protested. There were things I wanted to do to Bee, and now that our dry spell was about to end my imagination kept running wild.
I gripped Bee’s ass to pull her closer to me, the sudden force making her giggle as I lifted her onto the kitchen island. We didn’t have much time before our teammates and the Lees came over to pregame before going out to celebrate our win.
We were working on borrowed time.
Bee’s legs wrapped around my waist and she slid her hands up my shirt and back down. I knew there were some mascs who preferred to keep their sports bras on, but I was not one of them. Even without piercings to enhance the experience, I folded the second they were played with.
Bee leaned back on the island. “Take your shirt off,” she commanded and my body followed.
That was one thing about our dynamic I’d never get over: how easily I listened to her words and followed her orders.
I trusted Bee to see the sides of me that very few others got to see, the parts that begged to be told what to do and relinquish control.
I tore off my button down and watched Bee appraise me from my abs to my face.
Her fingernails skimmed slowly up my body, her face carefully watching mine for reactions.
She slowly pulled the band of my sports bra up, a small smile on her face as she watched for my permission.
I barely finished nodding before her thumb reached up to graze my nipple, her touch making me inhale sharply.
“I love that little noise you make,” Bee smiled before meeting me for a deep kiss. Her left hand stayed on the back of my neck while her right caressed and palmed my tit. I wanted to complain when cold air shocked my head but then her second hand found its place on my chest.
With our bodies pressed together, I felt every roll of Bee’s body. The mini skirt she wore tonight meant I didn’t have to move much out of the way, so it was easy to ghost the pad of my thumb against her entrance. In return, Bee nipped my lip.
“You’re not allowed to touch me until I make you come. Do you understand?”
I took my sports bra off to show I understood.
Bee’s mouth found my collarbone instantly, operating between the little bites that I knew she loved and softer kisses and licks that made my knees wobble.
My girlfriend listened and watched, her lust filled eyes showing how much my pleasure meant to her.
She wasn’t just jumping to quick and hard like she liked.
She wanted to make it known this was all for me.
Picking up where I preferred more, she dragged her kisses down to my nipples again, this time letting her tongue draw lazy circles on one tit while her hand palmed the other.
This time I was the one gripping onto her while I pressed into her, giving Bee the perfect angle to slip her hand down palm my crotch.
“Can I touch you here too, baby?” she whispered in my ear.