Chapter 18 #3
For a few minutes, we sat there talking about school.
She complained about one of her professors and the paper she had due when we returned.
I reminded her she had known about it for two weeks.
She accused me of taking the professor’s side, then told me not to ask her for help the next time I waited until the last minute to complete an assignment, knowing damn well I don’t wait until the last minute. Slim just be talking.
The waitress brought our food a little later, and Slim’s entire face lit up when she saw her plate. I didn’t even touch mine at first. I sat there watching her peeling a shrimp with more concentration than she gave anything else…like always.
“Oh my God, so good,” she said while chewing. “So, so good.”
I chortled and started cutting up my steak.
We talked between bites, shared a chocolate chip cookie skillet topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel, and then we headed back to the hotel.
Slim’s left leg bounced the whole ride, and she fiddled with her fingers in her lap.
She was nervous about being alone with me in a hotel room.
Back in the room, We brushed our teeth and I let Slim clean my face with the products she swore by even though I didn’t need them. Just her hands rubbing my face alone, had me bricking up. I put my hands in my lap to cover the bulge while I sat down on the closed toilet seat.
Slim stood between my legs, rubbing some cold-ass cream across my forehead.
“Why you keep moving?” she fussed.
“Because this shit cold.”
“It’s moisturizer, Kane. Stop acting like a baby.”
“I’m not acting like no baby.” I grabbed the backs of her thighs and pulled her closer. “I’m trying to figure out why you need to be all up on me to put lotion on my face.”
She paused, looking down at my hands. “I can move.”
“Nah.” My grip tightened slightly. “You good right there.”
Slim shook her head, but a smile played on her lips. She went back to rubbing the moisturizer into my skin, taking her time around my cheeks and jaw. I watched her while she worked. Without the attitude and smart-ass remarks, she looked nervous as hell.
Her hands were trembling a little.
I caught one of them before she could reach for another bottle.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t do that.” I laced our fingers together. “Your leg was bouncing the whole ride back. Now your hands shaking. Talk to me.”
She looked toward the bathroom door. “I’m fine, Kane.”
“You scared to be here with me?”
Her eyes came back to mine. “No.”
I could tell she was chewing the inside of her cheek. When Slim was done fucking with my face she stepped back and I stood, towering over her. Using my fingers, I tilted her head back to look her in the eyes.
“I didn’t do all of this to…fuck, Slim. I did this because I love you, and you deserve to celebrate your birthday,” I let her know, cupping her chin gently. “There is nothing I will do, if you’re not okay with it.”
Slim’s breathing hitched. When she didn’t speak, I leaned in and covered her lips with my own.
I kissed Slim slowly, giving her enough time to pull away if she wanted to.
She didn’t. Instead her hands gripped the band of the ball shorts, pulling me closer to her and holding me there as she kissed me back.
“Look at me,” I said softly, between our lips.
Slim opened her eyes.
“You good?”
She nodded.
“Nah, I need you to say it.”
“I’m good, Kane.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.” Her voice came out stronger that time. “I’m nervous, but I’m sure. I want to.”
I searched her face, making sure she wasn’t telling me what she thought I wanted to hear. Slim could talk big all day, but I knew her. I knew when she was scared, when she was holding something back, and when that attitude was just armor.
“If you change your mind, say that,” I told her. “I don’t care if we already started. I don’t care how far it goes. You tell me to stop, and I’m stopping.”
“I know.”
“I’m serious.”
“Kane, I know you would never hurt me intentionally,” Slim said. “I want this.”
Stepping back away from me, Slim lifted the shirt she wore.
She was braless. My eyes roamed over her small breasts.
I swallowed hard. Shit was harder than I thought it would be.
One side of my brain wanted to do this because it’s been so long.
While the other side, didn’t want to break Slim in.
If she wasn’t already obsessed and in love with me now, she would be after this.
I wasn’t being cocky about it, but the way Kayla acted, I knew for sure I was some pressure in the bedroom even at a young age.
“Now, I didn’t shave…you know. I might need to start going to get waxes,” she told me through a nervous chuckle.
“I’m not worried ‘bout that. C’mere.”
Slim took two steps to me. I picked her up, her legs wrapping around me. I lips connected again. I wanted Slim to remember this night. I had no doubt she wouldn’t, but I wanted it to be perfect for her.
I took Slim to the bed and placed her down on it. I took my time with her. Whenever she tensed, I slowed down. Whenever doubt flickered across her face, I reminded her that we could stop, but Slim kept pulling me closer.
Her fingers intertwined with mine, and I held on as the rest of the room disappeared around us. The night wasn’t about the hotel, the expensive gifts, or the plans I had spent weeks putting together. It was about us, love, and where we would go from here.