Chapter Eleven.
Danger knew something was different when he made it through the front door.
His home smelled like good seasoning and Fabuloso instead of just his usual cologne and candles.
He glanced around, noticing the carpet had been vacuumed, the clutter from his coffee table was gone, and the pillows on his couch were sitting upright for the first time since he bought them.
He also spotted the cleaning products on the shelf, ones that he was sure Caresha had used to dust as well as clean the flatscreen.
“Ree.” He called.
“In the kitchen.”
Danger headed that way, taking her in as he stepped inside. She stood in front of the stove wearing one of her MooMoo nightgowns that she knew he loved, stirring a pot.
“Can’t believe you cleaned my crib.” He said, noticing the kitchen was spotless, too. She’d cleaned the pile of dirty dishes, wiped the counters, and swept and mopped the floors.
Caresha glanced over her shoulder. “Somebody had to.”
“My shit wasn’t that bad.”
“Nigga, please. You junky. You got this nice ass home, and you don’t bother to dust, sweep… mop… nothing.”
Shrugging, Danger studied the counter. A new loaf of bread, different bags of chips, and two boxes of cereal caught his eye—one she enjoyed, the other a brand she’d seen on his shelf, but the last box was empty.
He had eaten all the cereal out of it and hadn’t bothered to put the box in the trash, pissing Caresha off. So, she purchased him a new one.
Danger checked the refrigerator, finding it packed with bottled water, butter, milk, her favorite brew of iced coffee, juice, fruit, and vegetables.
He also noticed turkey lunch meat, cheese, eggs, and strawberry yogurt, along with condiments, guacamole, salsa, and pico de gallo.
The freezer held a new tub of his favorite ice cream and enough meat for her to cook a couple of meals.
“Damn, how you go grocery shopping?” He looked inside the cabinet, noticing the various seasoning bottles placed on the rack.
“Walmart delivery.”
Nodding, Danger closed the cabinet and leaned against the island, watching her move around his kitchen as if her name was on the fucking deed.
“And you cooked.”
A slow grin spread across his face; he could get used to this.
It reminded him of being home with Kerri or, hell, even visiting his brother’s crib lately.
Nivéa stayed cooking for Crown. Coming home to cooked food, a clean house, and Caresha walking around in her nightgown felt too natural for something they had never discussed.
It made Danger do just what his big brother had warned him he would do when he felt he found the one.
His life flashed before his eyes, and he saw nothing but her in it.
He pictured her there every day, and instead of the thought making him feel trapped, it settled him.
Caresha caught him staring. “What?”
“Just thinking.” Danger pushed away from the island and moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“About?”
“If you coming like this, you might as well stay and never leave.”
Caresha laughed and leaned back against his chest. “Nigga, please. You ain’t getting no live-in maid.”
“I ain’t say nothing about no maid. I said stay.”
She turned her head enough for him to kiss her cheek.
“Go shower and change so we can eat. Then we're going to bed. I’m tired. I didn’t get a nap ’cause I was too busy cleaning and catching up on my shows.”
Danger smacked her lightly on the ass before stepping away. “Damn, how you gon’ tell me what I’ma do? How you know a nigga even sleepy? Bossy as hell in my shit.”
“Yet you moving, and you gon’ sleep, too.”
“You gon’ give me something and put me to sleep?”
“Yeah, this good ass food.”
“That’s cool, but I want something else.”
“Gone.” Caresha waved him away with her hand.
Danger chuckled as he headed toward the stairs. She was right; he was moving and down to do whatever she asked of him.
Smiling, Caresha watched him disappear before turning back toward the stove.
She shook her head at how she went all out for this nigga.
She had cooked plenty of times for her family, but never for a man.
She had never cleaned a nigga’s home, filled his refrigerator, and spent time deciding what meal he might enjoy when he came through the door.
Reason number twenty-five as to how she knew she really liked Danger.
Caresha had done all of this without him asking and hadn’t felt stupid while doing it.
She wanted him to walk into a peaceful home after whatever he faced in the streets.
She wanted him to eat something that hadn’t come from a drive-through window.
More than anything, she liked knowing there was something she could do for him besides giving up her pussy.
Caresha felt both a man and woman should contribute more than just sex if they were trying to build with one another.
The night before, Danger had tucked more money in her gym bag and told her to spend it on whatever, so she was looking to add to the equation.
But the more she thought about everything, the more it caused her to sigh heavily.
The realization that she had finally found someone she was feeling should have made her happy.
And she was, but…it also made her sad. It brought back the phone call she had received that morning while Danger was away.
Caresha had pushed the news to the back of her mind all day, telling herself she would find the right time to bring it up to him.
But Danger had come through the door joking about her staying forever, and the guilt sitting in her stomach grew heavier.
She knew she should bring it up that night, rather than wait.
Caresha spent months waiting for an opportunity like the one that had finally called her back. Yet now that it was becoming real, she couldn’t stop thinking about everything and everyone she would have to leave behind.
By the time Danger returned, Caresha had already packed their plates and carried them outside. They sat beside each other on the porch underneath the moonlight, eating. The air had cooled enough to make the night comfortable.
Danger took another bite before pointing his fork toward the steak and the sides surrounding the plate.
“This shit good as fuck.”
Caresha smiled. “I know.”
“Cocky ass.”
“You smacking, ain’t you?”
“Damn near about to lick the plate.”
Caresha laughed and bumped her knee against his.
Danger looked at her for a moment longer than necessary, taking in everything about her all over again.
He was used to women wanting something from him…
money, attention, access to the club, or the chance to say they had been with a Knight.
Caresha never moved like that. And she showed up for him in ways he hadn’t known he needed.
“I’m serious about what I said earlier.” He told her.
Caresha lowered her fork. “About me staying?”
Danger shrugged, trying to get his thoughts together.
“Maybe not you moving in. I mean, I know it’s too early for all that. We agreed to take our time. But I do want you around more. I like coming home and seeing you here. I’m feeling you, Ree.”
Caresha’s smile softened at him wearing his heart on his sleeve for once.
“I’m feelin’ you, too. So much.”
She wanted to say more, wanted to have the talk she’d told Nivéa she would have with him.
But the call had changed shit. She didn’t want to tell him how much she adored him and wanted a title, only to turn around and drop her news on him.
Caresha felt like the news should come first. That way, he’d understand that the distance wouldn’t change how she felt about him.
She still wanted this and hoped he wanted it as well.
A slight grin touched Danger’s lips before his expression grew serious again.
“I’m not playing no games with you. Fuck this talkin’ stage. I want you to be my lady.” She didn’t have to tell him she wanted a title. He was already on it.
“I wanna be your lady.” Caresha replied before she could catch herself. She couldn’t help it. Her heart took over before her brain could remind her, You need to talk to him first.
Satisfied with her answer, Danger resumed eating, already planning to dick her down that night and take her shopping tomorrow afternoon before hitting the streets.
Meanwhile, Caresha sat there feeling conflicted. His confession warmed her heart, but it also made what she needed to tell him even harder. She looked down at her food, pushing a piece of mashed potato around her plate as she tried to figure out how to say it.
“Tell me something I don’t know.” She said after a while.
Danger glanced at her. “What you mean?”
“About you. I wanna know more.” Most of what she knew about Danger came from what little she had seen, what Nivéa had told her, or whatever little pieces he allowed to slip out.
“Nothing more to tell. What you see is what you get, ma.”
Danger returned to his food, hoping the conversation would die there. He was the type of nigga who hated getting all deep…unless it was some pussy he was digging in. But the conversation didn’t die; Caresha wouldn’t let it.
“No. Everybody got something they holding inside. Tell me something I don’t know that you feel I should know. Maybe…your deepest, darkest secret.”
“Ree, what the fuck, ma?” Danger shook his head.
“Why you wanna know all that? I thought you were tired and wanted to eat real quick so we could get in bed.”
“I am, but I wanna talk first.”
Danger grew quiet, thinking it over. Truthfully, he thought she already knew everything that mattered.
She knew about the Knights, his depression from losing his best friend, his temper, where he rested his head, and who his people were.
Then a memory surfaced…one he rarely spoke about because saying it out loud forced him to admit how far he had once fallen.
“I used to do coke.”
Caresha laughed. “Nigga, stop playing.”
Danger didn’t crack a smile.