Chapter 12
That afternoon, we were in my Charger heading to the small grocery store about fifteen minutes from the cabin.
The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, the sky still gray but lighter than before.
Stormie sat in the passenger seat wearing a Lulu set and sneakers on her small ass feet.
She’d slicked her hair up in a neat bun and thrown on some gold hoops, typing on her phone now that we had service again.
I knew her parents and her girls were blowing her shit up because my mother and my niggas did the same.I kept glancing over at her legs in those leggings. She looked good. Too good. She was really mine now. Shit felt surreal saying it, even just in my head.
“You’re staring,” she said without looking up from her phone.
“And?”
She glanced at me, eyebrow raised. “Why?”
“‘Cause it makes my dick hard.”
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she looked back at her phone. “Well, tell me how you really feel,” she chuckled.
“I’ma always tell you now.” She smiled, trying to hide it, but I saw it.
That little smile told me she liked it when I talked to her like that.
I reached over and put my hand on her thigh, squeezing gently.
She didn’t pull away. Just let me touch her, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“So, what are we picking up from the store?”
“Food,” she snorted. “Actual food. I’m starving, and there’s nothing in that cabin. And I’m not eating another sandwich.”
“Grilled cheese is actual food, Storm.”
“Kade, we can’t survive on grilled cheese until tomorrow.”
“We survived last night just fine.”
Stormie laughed. “We were distracted last night.”
“Yeah, true,” I squeezed her thigh again. “You want me to distract you again later?”
“Maybe,” she said, her voice going softer. “If you're good.”
“Baby, I’m always good.”
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “Your ego is unreal.”
“You weren’t complaining this morning when that same ego made you cum.”
“Oh my God, stop.”
“Stop what?” I taunted her, smirking. “Telling the truth?”
She turned to look at me, her eyes bright. “Whatever.” She shook her head and went back to her phone, but her hand moved to rest on top of mine on her thigh. That shit had me feeling good.
The grocery store was one of those small-town spots–single story, maybe ten aisles, fluorescent lights that buzzed too loudly.
The parking lot was half-empty with just a few cars scattered around.
I parked close to the entrance and cut the engine.
I got out and walked around to her side, opening the door for her before she could do it herself. She looked up at me, surprised.
“What?” I said. “I can’t open the door for my girl?”
“Your woman,” she corrected, eyes locked on me.
“You got that. Come on.” I held out my hand, and she took it. Her fingers laced through mine, and we walked toward the store together. Shit felt different, walking with Stormie like this. We were out in the open, not pretending or keeping a careful distance. Just us.
Inside, the store smelled like fresh bread, making my stomach growl. Stormie grabbed a basket, and I kept my hand on her lower back as we moved through the aisles. “Okay, so let’s make this quick,” she muttered, looking at the shelves.
We moved slowly through the store, picking up random shit like seasonings, pasta, sauce, chicken, and vegetables. She kept adding things I didn’t think we needed, and I kept putting them back when she wasn’t looking.
“Kade, I saw that,” she said, catching me putting back a bag of chips.
“We don’t need that bullshit. You’ve been hitting the gym with me. Come on, now.”
“Exactly. I’m down five pounds and my edges are growing in,” she laughed, snatching the chips back. “Don’t do me like that.”
We turned down another aisle, and I saw some nigga glance at Stormie as we passed. His eyes lingered a little too long on her legs, and I felt my jaw tighten. I moved closer to her, my hand sliding from her lower back to her hip, pulling her against my side. She looked up at me, confused.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I said. But I looked back at the nigga, making sure he saw my hand on her. Saw that she was with me. His ass looked away quickly.
“Kade, you’re being weird,” Stormie frowned.
“I’m being me.” I looked down at her. “We ain’t just friends anymore, Storm. I don’t want other niggas looking at you.”
“He was just–”
“Aye,” I lifted her chin, kissing her lips. “I said what I said, aight?”
She stared at me for a second, then smiled. “Let me find out this pussy got you crazy this soon.”
“I’ve been crazy over you since day one. I just get to show it now.” She didn’t pull away. If anything, she leaned into me more, and I felt something settle in my chest. She liked that shit. Liked me being possessive, protective.
We made it to the checkout line, and I pulled out my wallet before she could even reach for hers. “Kade–”
“Don’t even start.”
“I already said I was buying the groceries, remember?”
“And the fact that you really thought I was gon’ let you is crazy.” I handed the cashier my card.
Stormie crossed her arms, trying to look annoyed, but I could see the smile she was fighting. “You know I make good money as the lead pharmacy tech, right?”
“And I’m proud of you for getting that raise, but you know wassup with me. I ain’t never changed.”
The cashier smiled as she ran everything up. “You look good together. Hold onto this one, honey,” she said to Stormie. “He's a keeper.”
I watched Stormie’s cheeks go pink again, and I grinned. “Thanks.”
We grabbed the bags and headed back out to my Charger. The rain had picked up again–not heavy, but steady. I loaded the groceries in the back while Stormie climbed into the passenger seat.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as I shut the tailgate. I pulled it out and saw Angel’s name on the screen. I declined the call, put her on block without hesitation, and shoved the phone back in my pocket. When I got in the truck, Stormie was watching me.
“Who was that?” she asked.
“Nobody important,” I told her, starting the engine.
“Angel, huh? She keeps calling.”
“I don’t give a fuck about that.”
“You should probably talk to her–”
I looked at her. “I’ll handle that when I get back home tomorrow. Right now, I’m enjoying you.” Stormie was quiet for a second, then nodded. “You worried about her?” I asked.
“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “I just… you know I don’t do drama.”
“There’s no drama. Angel was nothing but a distraction. That’s it. You know that, right?”
“Mhm.”
“Storm.” I reached over and tilted her chin up so she was looking at me. “You’re the only one I want. The only one I’ve ever really wanted. All those other women didn’t mean shit. You always will. You get that?”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah. I get it.”
“Good. Now stop worrying.” I kissed her, slow and deliberate, making sure she felt it. When I pulled back, her eyes were softer.
I pulled out of the parking lot and headed back toward the cabin. And as I drove with Stormie next to me, her hand resting on my arm, I realized I didn’t care about the storm not being over. Shit, we’d already weathered the hardest part.