by Niyah Moore
“I like fruit salads. Don’t do nothing fancy with them grits for me. Just make them plain, and I’ll add my own sugar. Scramble them eggs, ’cause I don’t do fried. I don’t want no ham. That bacon gotta be crispy. You making them biscuits from scratch?”
“Nah. Pillsbury Grands!” I replied, pointing to the can. “With yo’ picky ass.”
He shrugged. “Can’t help it.”
I laughed at him.
It was at that precious moment that I felt the love inside me burning too hot. Luxury consumed me quickly. The fuel of this new romance was sweet affection. This foundation was meant to be durable, was something that would last, but things started moving from there way too fast.
7
DESIRE
Best Friends Are Forever
“So, what’s up with you and Luxury?” Mina asked as soon as I stepped foot into the apartment she shared with Zay and their daughter.
“Damn. Can I get all the way in the door first? Hella anxious, bro.”
She closed the door behind me. “Don’t play with me, bitch. I’ve been blowing yo’ ass up all day. I couldn’t wait to hear this.”
“I know. I wanted to call you so many times, but I didn’t want him to hear me. I’ve been a little tied up.” I flopped down on her red leather couch.
Her living room was set up so that her couch was facing her big-screen TV. Her walls were a creamy off-white. Most of her pictures were of beautiful African women wearing gold jewelry and bold prints.
“Judging by that big-ass grin, I’m guessing your birthday blew your mind and Luxury blew that back out.”
I laughed hard. “Mina, he fucked my mind all the way up. That’s what he did.”
“How?” She sat on an arm of the couch and folded her arms across her chest.
“So, we went to Lav’s. I already told you about the cash and the outfit.”
“Yeah.”
“So, we leave Lav’s and go to his place. His house is pretty much a mansion. I go to take a shower, come out, and he’s got a cupcake lit with a candle, champagne, matching bra and panty lingerie set on the bed. Shit, in the morning he tells me to go into the closet and, bitch, this nigga had a whole wardrobe for me, including shoes and jewelry, and I ain’t talking about no cheap shit. All designer shit. Then . . . Go look out your window. I made sure to park right where you can see.”
Mina got up from the couch and looked out the window. “He bought you a Honda Civic?”
“No! The car parked in front of the Civic.”
“Desi. He bought ya ass a Benz?”
“Yeah, and it’s brand new, never been owned by anyone. It ain’t a Range, but it’s still a nice-ass car.”
“Aye, aye, aye,” she yelled in celebration as she put her hands on her knees and made her ass bounce in a circle a few times. “Okay, I see you, Luxury. He’s at you hard as fuck.” She stepped back from the window and looked me up and down. “So, um, I noticed you just skipped right over the sex part. What’s up with that? I need all the freaky-ass details. Don’t act all shy now.”
“There’s nothing to tell. Once you hear one sex story, you’ve heard them all. Plus, I don’t like discussing my sex life with my man.”
“Your man? He told you that, or you just claiming him like some crazy-ass stalker?”
“Bitch, I ain’t no stalker . . . He said he loves me.”
Mina smiled big at me and started twerking again for a second. She stopped and laughed. “Yas, bitch. Girl, this just keeps getting better. You tell him you love him back?”
“Of course I did.”
“Of course you did. You’ve been in love with him since day one.”
Mina’s front door opened, and Zay walked in. That made us stop talking. One thing about Zay was that he hated hearing girl talk and gossip. I wished his ass had stayed wherever he was, so I could tell her about how Luxury and I had fucked on the kitchen counter after he said my breakfast was the best. I really wanted to talk to my best friend, and Zay was fucking shit up. As usual, Zay didn’t speak, and I wasn’t about to talk first.
“Where’s Zyla?” Mina questioned, noticing he didn’t have their daughter with him.
“She’s with my mom.” He sat down at the kitchen table and coolly tossed a bag of coke on the table. “Aye, you remember that nigga you’ve been fucking with behind my back?”
Looking like a deer caught in an oncoming diesel truck’s headlights, she said, “I . . . I . . . I’m not fucking round with nobody.”
“Fuckin’ liar. You always fuckin’ around. You think it’s okay to be texting this fat-ass nigga behind my back and shit? And don’t tell me he’s payin’ for the pussy, ’cause I know he ain’t payin’ for the pussy. You still fuckin’ this nigga.”
“Boy, bye,” she replied with a scowl on her face. “You sound stupid as fuck right now.”
“Don’t lie. I know you fucking the nigga I get the blow from behind my back, bitch. You such a ho. God damn! He talkin’ about he can fuck you for free. Now, why would he say that to me? You always fuckin’ shit up. I should kick ya muthafuckin’ ass.”
Mina’s eyes were filling with tears.
I wanted to beat this nigga’s ass for getting at her like that. She had told me she was tired of his ass, but for some reason, she was staying with him. All the nights she had cried on the phone and told me how fucked up he was, she had never told me she was fucking with anybody. She had made it seem like she had no choice but to fuck these niggas for money, because Zay wasn’t paying for shit. He sat back like her fucking pimp. He made me sick.
He went on. “I’ll kill this nigga straight up, Mina. Don’t let me see that nigga anywhere around here! We got into it, and that’s why I took Zy to Mom’s. He’s talking big shit, like he wanna pull up, so I told the nigga to pull and see what happen.”
“It ain’t all that serious. I’m not fucking around with nobody. Is my child staying the night over there?”
Ignoring her question, he yelled, “Fuck that fat-ass nigga, Mina. You want to hit this shit before I bag it up?” He created two lines and snorted one.
“Not right now. Put a little to the side. I’ll probably need a li’l zoom before I walk into the club tonight.”
I didn’t judge her or Zay. Coke was their thing and had been for a little while. I didn’t touch cocaine, because I didn’t see the point. All that sniffling and messing with the nose seemed crazy to me. Plus, Mina was always complaining about how her nose was itchy and how she kept sneezing. I didn’t want those problems.
“Well, I gotta get home,” I said. “I’m sleepy. I’ll see you tonight.”
Mina nodded at me. “A’ight, girl. You rolling with us tonight, or you driving ya fancy new whip?”
“I’m driving, so I’ll meet you up there.”
“Okay,” she replied.
“Bye, y’all.” I grabbed my purse.
“Bye,” she said.
Zay didn’t say shit to me, with his rude ass. So I ignored him and headed out.
* * *
I couldn’t get Luxury off my mind, and I couldn’t find the words to describe what I was feeling. That man was a beast in the sheets. I thought I would be feeling like a straight ho, having given it up our first time kicking it, but I didn’t, because he didn’t make me feel like one. He was all I could think about all day. Every time I thought about him, I would shake my head and smile.
I wanted love to feel like this all my life, but I also wanted to be independent. Luxury seemed like the type who would leave me wanting for nothing, and I wanted a relationship where we could be us without letting anyone get in our way. This was like getting on a teeter-totter at the park. I had to trust that Luxury wouldn’t jump off and send me crashing down to the ground. Together, we needed to balance one another out to ride successfully. Was I overthinking this shit or what? How did I know that Luxury wasn’t playing with my emotions? He could’ve pulled this move on other bitches. He didn’t seem like the tricking type, but only time would tell.
I had a good two-hour nap after I left Mina’s house, but as soon as I woke up, he was the first person I thought of. I picked up my phone to hit him up, but I didn’t want to seem like I was jocking him, so I decided to wait for him to call or text me.
Feeling hungry, I left the house and picked up a ham and cheese sandwich from my favorite spot in Little Havana, then cruised around while I ate it. I washed it down with a large cup of freshly squeezed lemonade. After I finished the sandwich, I checked my phone, and still no text from him.
Did he just hit it and quit it? I wondered. Nah, he wouldn’t have bought all that shit if it was just about some pussy, I decided.
When I got home, I ran a hot bath with bubbles. My phone finally chimed as soon as I got in the water. I had a text, so I dried off my hands with my towel before picking up my phone, hoping it was him.
Luxury: So, this how you do? Just fuck me and leave me. I see how it is.
I smiled as I replied: I didn’t want to sweat you. What you doing?
Luxury: You can sweat me whenever. Come to the studio. You remember where Lav lives?
Me: Kind of. Shoot me the address. What time?
Luxury: Nine.
Me: I gotta be at the club by ten. Will we be done by then?
Luxury: Probably not. Why you going to the club, anyway?
Me: That’s where I work, remember?
He called me instantly.
I picked up. “Yes, Luxury?”
“I got something better for you to do and you’d rather strip?”
I didn’t know how to answer. Working at Queen’s was the first and only job I had. It paid very well. I couldn’t just quit like that. I didn’t want to be in the strip club for the rest of my life, but I wasn’t ready to leave my job. There was something about Luxury that made me want to do whatever he wanted me to do, but then again, I had my own mind.
“I’ve been thinking about it, so don’t get mad,” I told him.
“I’m not mad. I’m confused, though.”
“Don’t be confused, baby. I haven’t decided yet. I need a little more time, if that’s okay with you. Plus, I thought you said I won’t have to quit until the music takes off.”
“But you have to be in the studio, and most studio sessions are at night.”
“Okay . . . I can always work them both until that time. I’ll meet you at the studio at nine.”
“A’ight. Hey, what you doing right now?”
“I’m taking a bath, thinking about you.”
“Is that right? Come open the door.”
I paused and laughed, but he wasn’t laughing with me.
“Wait. You’re outside right now?” I said.
“Yeah, so come open the door with ya sexy ass.”
I stood up and got out of the tub. I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around my body. I rushed to the door and looked out the peephole. Luxury wasn’t lying. He was standing there, looking so yummy in his black Fendi sweatsuit, dick print on blast. I bit my bottom lip to hold in my excitement and opened the door.
“If you give me a house key, I won’t have to interrupt your bath ever again,” he said, ending our call.
“A key to my place? But I don’t have a key to your spot.”
He held up a house key and dangled it in front of me. “Yeah, you do. You might as well move in now.” He placed a kiss on my lips and walked in. “With them big, juicy-ass lips.”
I laughed, closing the door behind him. “Don’t you think we moving too fast? I mean, we just hooked up last night.” I led him into the living room, and we both sat on the couch.
He placed the house key on my coffee table since I hadn’t taken it from him when he dangled it in front of me. “You think three years is fast, baby? You love me, and I love you, right? Or was you just saying it for shits and giggles?”
“No, I’m in love with you, Luxury. I don’t say shit for shits and giggles. You act like we’ve been dating all three of them years.”
“You’ve been knowin’ a nigga for three years, so same difference.”
I shook my head. “If you say so.”
“Aye, how long you about to be? I’m hungry, and I want to take you out for dinner before we go to Lav’s.”
“Not long. I gotta wash up. I’ll be dressed fast. We goin’ on a date?”
“If that’s what you want to call it. Wet your hair and wear it curly. I saw you wear it like that one time. I like it like that.”
“Okay, Papi,” I teased. He was sure acting like he was my papi. Demanding and bossing me around. It was cute, though.
* * *
On the way to the restaurant, I recorded myself on Snapchat as a Monnahan Boyz song was blasting. I rapped the lyrics, pointing at the camera, with my nails poppin’. I posted the video and saw how good I looked with flowers from the flower filter wrapped around my head like a crown.
“Why you didn’t put me on your li’l Snap?” Luxury asked.
With a smile on my face, I looked over at him. “I didn’t think you wanted to be seen with flowers around your head.” I started laughing. “I mean, then all my followers will know who I’m fuckin’ with.”
“You don’t want everybody to know who you fuckin’ with? I want the world to know who I’m fuckin’ with.”
“Okay. Well, then, the next Snap I post, I’ll make sure to have you in it.”
“Bet.”
Just then a Snap message came through from the bestie.
Minaboo4life: Bitch. I see you. You look cute in Luxury’s ride.
Me: Thank you, boo.
I locked my phone and tossed it on my lap just as we arrived at the restaurant. Luxury pulled up to the front entrance so the valet could park his car. We got out and walked into the restaurant, a popular Italian place. I looked around as we were seated. It was the fanciest place I had ever been to. I almost felt out of place, but when I noticed how comfortable Luxury was, it made me relax. He looked as if he had been here lots of times. The restaurant overlooked the Atlantic Ocean and had a champagne bar. I studied the menu, and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to eat. Everything sounded good.
While I was looking over the menu, Luxury said, “Come sit on my lap. Let’s take a picture for my Snap and Gram.”
I was cheesing all hard again. “You ready for that?”
“I meant what I said. You my girl, right?”
“Yup, I am.” I got up from my seat and sat on his lap.
He took out his phone and lifted his camera for a pic. As I smiled for the camera, he placed a kiss on my cheek and snapped the pic. I giggled as I sized up the photo.
“Ooh, we cute,” I said, then stuck my tongue out.
He leaned into me and sucked my tongue all sexy like. This nigga was a straight freak. I loved it. I giggled, putting my hand over my mouth bashfully.
“This is going straight on my shit right now,” he said.
“That’s to let all them bitches know you’re mine, right?”
“Ain’t no bitches, but yeah, you can say that.”
I got off his lap and sat back down on my chair. Next thing I knew, he tagged me in his photo. Before I could decide what I wanted to eat, his Instagram was getting notifications like crazy, and his hashtag relationship goals were starting to trend that fast.
“Baby, you trying to make us go viral?” I said.
“I wasn’t trying to do nothing but show the world my beautiful chick.”
“I heard the fuck outta that.”
He turned serious for a moment and said, “I need you to know that whatever you decide about this rappin’ shit, I’ll still fuck with you. Even if you don’t want to do it. I don’t want to make it seem like I’m telling you what to do, you know.”
“I know,” I said, smiling. “I trust you, Luxury. I know you just want what’s best for me.”
“What’s best for us,” he said, correcting me.
“Yeah, what’s best for us . . . So, are you serious about us living together? When you want me to mov
e in?”
“Tonight,” he replied.
“What? No, seriously. I’m on a month-to-month lease, so I gotta wait until the end of the month.”
“Nah, you really don’t. Your rent is paid for the month, right?”
“Yeah, but they need notice.”
“Not on a month-to-month. Long as you’re out of there when the month is up, you’re straight. Unless you just want to stall.”
My heart was racing. This was a big move, but what would be better than waking up to his fine ass every day? “A’ight. You know you don’t have to do all that you’re doing for me, right? I almost feel like you tryin’ to save me or something.”
He chuckled as he scanned the menu, ignoring what I’d said. “They changed this shit up. I’m looking for the shrimp linguini.”
“It’s at the bottom of page two. I was just looking at that. This shit is expensive.”
“Don’t worry ’bout prices when you’re with me.”
I settled on the shrimp linguini, as well, after looking through the menu one more time. I put it down and continued to gaze around the restaurant. It was a beautiful place, from the chandeliers to the swirled crème floor. When I was done, I looked at Luxury. He was staring right at me.
I smiled. “What?”
“You’re so beautiful.”
I blushed and looked away, shaking my head. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The waiter appeared, and we ordered.
Right after the waiter left our table, I looked at my phone, because it was blowing up. “Now I’m getting all these requests to follow me.”
“Good. You gotta get your social-media fan base up. I know you got your followers from all the half-naked photos and from dancing, but just watch how shit changes for you.”
I nodded, feeling excited and nervous all at the same time. I had some shady females from time to time getting at me, because they were on some hating shit, but now I was going to get a taste of that celebrity hating. I had thick skin, but I was going to have to have even thicker skin.
Over dinner Luxury and I talked about the studio, music, and his plans for us. After dinner, he paid the tab, and we walked out of the restaurant. I was so stuffed. I shouldn’t have eaten that whole pasta dish, but it was one of the best I’d ever had. The shrimp were big and seasoned perfectly. The pasta was so yummy that I had to eat it all.
