by J. Nichole
I reached over and wrapped her in my arms. “I get it.” I wanted her to be there for me, but not at the expense of an emotional breakdown. “And the drinking?” I asked as I pulled away.
She laughed and shook her head. “Well, that was ‘cause your ass was being petty. I needed to get my mind off of you.” I winked at her.
“Was I off your mind?” I licked my lips.
“No,” she shouted. “Buster.” We both laughed. She reached for the boot on my leg. “How long we rocking this new look?”
I told her the doctor’s orders, including a six-week stint in the boot. “Thankfully, most of my life revolves around this apartment.” Then I looked down my nose at her. “As long as you aren’t tripping, and I don’t have to wobble out to see you.”
She shrugged. “I think I can find myself here more often.” Then she reminded me that we didn’t have each other’s keys. “And Tony’s ass,” she said sounding exasperated. “I can’t believe he wouldn’t open the door.”
I shrugged. “Would Skylar?” Although we rolled hard all together, Tony and I were as tight as her and Skylar.
“I suppose you have a point.” She looked around and asked, “Do you need me to move anything around for you, or get you anything?” I hooked my finger at her and she scooted closer into my side. “I’ve missed you,” she said softly as she rested her head on my chest.
I kissed her forehead and repeated the same, “I missed you too.” I heard her stomach rumble and I asked, “Ooohh… you hungry?”
She frowned and said, “I was so busy trying to get over here before you changed your mind I didn’t stop to eat.” I laughed at her and told her to raid my kitchen.
“And while you’re in there, make a plate for me, please.” She started singing while the food was in the microwave and I sighed. If it wasn’t for the boot on my foot, I would have snuck up on her and carried her to my bed and showed her just how much I missed her, but that boot was restrictive as hell.
I guess the same was on her mind ‘cause she peeked out of the kitchen and asked, “What’d the doctor say about”—she turned her head then coughed— “sex?” I told her it was hard enough to get my ass in the shower, so trying to dick her down may have been challenging. She walked towards the couch without the plates and said, “Let me see something.” She straddled my lap, a leg on either side of me. “Naw, this still works.” She kissed my lips and I wanted to tell her fuck the food when the microwave beeped, but she hopped up before I could show her that my third leg wasn’t broken.
“After you eat, it’s on,” I warned as she handed me my plate. “Hey,” I said after taking a bite of fried chicken. “For real though, is there anything else that I should know about that would trigger your emotions?”
She sat her fork down and looked off to the ceiling. After a deep breath she said, “You know, there are certain things that just creep up on me every now and again.” She puffed a breath of air. “Like when we were all at my mom’s place for breakfast. It made me wonder what it would have been like if my dad was there.”
I understood. For me, anytime I was at their house I was reminded of Mr. Davison. He was a good father, and husband. He was like my second dad most days. “Next time”—I looked her in her eyes—“if there is anything that triggers you, let’s have a word.”
She looked at me with squinted eyes. “A word?”
“Yeah. Like curtains. Or something.” Her face scrunched up even more. “So I know that it’s a trigger and we don’t have to talk about it anymore.” She nodded her head and a small smile appeared on her face.
“Curtains it is,” she said confidently. “What about you?” she asked without clarification. I looked at her sideways. “Is there anything that’s off limits?”
“Hmm… naw, I don’t think so,” I said trying to think if there was anything. “Nope.”
We finished the food, plates on the coffee table, and Brooklyn smiled at me. “Didn’t you say earlier you had a hard time taking a shower?” I nodded my head then sniffed my pits again. She laughed. “I wasn’t trying to say you smelled. Just asking.” She climbed into my lap and kissed my neck. “You taste clean.” I laughed but didn’t let the mood change; I wanted that ass. I grabbed her chin and kissed her lips, slipping my tongue into her mouth. “Ehm…” she moaned.
Her hands started roaming under my shirt, and it didn’t take long before she was pulling it over my head. Then she removed hers and I kissed along the edge of her sports bra. “Were you going to exercise today?” I joked as her head fell back.
She slapped my shoulder and said, “You know my girls like to be comfortable while I work.” I did know. I remembered, as a kid, she’d complain that boobs were the worst part of being a girl. She reminded me of this every time I walked outside in the summer heat, shirtless.
I removed her sports bra. To help her out, and let those girls loose. She giggled as I took a nipple in my mouth and sucked till I felt her squirm in my lap. Then I stopped and she eyed me as she slid my basketball shorts off. I tried to help her by lifting my hips, and sucked in air when I stepped too hard on my ankle. “Shit, you okay?” she asked.
I nodded my head. “I’ll let you do all the work,” I said as my head rested on the couch. She arched a brow and finished pulling down my shorts.
“Now,” she said as she looked around the living room. “Just need a condom.” I pointed towards the room and she walked away, bare chested, and returned titties bouncing with the condom tucked between her lips.
She rolled the condom down my dick and climbed back into her spot on my lap. With caution, she slid me inside of her. I closed my eyes as she rocked slowly, clenching her thighs around me. I bit her lip as I held back the urge to rock with her.
The tension started to build, and I whispered, “Babe,” as I felt myself losing it. She grabbed my head and rested it on her chest, then sucked on the side of my neck, sending ripples through my body. “Fuck,” I said as I lost it. I kissed her chest as she continued circling her hips.
With my hand between us, I rubbed on her clit till I felt her pulsating around me. “Josiah,” she exhaled. “I need you to be out of this boot soon.”
I opened my eyes and smiled at her. “Oh, now you don’t want to be in control?” She shook her head.
“I like control, but I miss those thrusts.” She held onto my hips. “Six weeks is going to be torture.” She winked. “Now let me help you take a shower.” She stood and reached for my hand. I happily wobbled to the bathroom right behind her.
Seventeen
Brooklyn
Six long weeks of improvising with Josiah were finally over, and to celebrate, the Art Crew was headed to the club. But first it was time to officially share the news with my mom. “You ready for this?” I smiled at Josiah. He was fresh in his new sneakers. I looked down at them and said, “I missed you being in two shoes.” I laughed.
He tapped my chin and said, “Let’s do this.” We had already gone to the restaurant to grab his mama’s pie, and share the news with his parents. His mama crossed her arms over her chest and was not fazed. Telling us she already knew our little secret.
His dad acted surprised, but happy, wrapping his arms around me saying, “Finally.”
Now we were headed to my house to tell my mama. She had been in a better place in recent weeks. Even asking us to help her clean out my dad’s stuff. “Mama,” I shouted as we walked through the house. I peeped into the living room where she was sitting in her favorite chair.
“Hey there, Brook,” she said looking away from the TV. “And Josiah, hey you.” She reached her arms out for him. I pouted my lips till she finished and gave me a hug of my own. “Is that a pie?” she asked pointing towards Josiah’s hand.
“Sure is. My mama’s.” My mama smiled and stood from her chair.
“We might as well cut into that now.” She giggled. It was good to see my mom getting back to herself. We followed behind her to the kitchen.
“Mama, we had someth
ing to share with you,” I said as she pulled a couple of plates from the cabinet and set them on the counter.
“What’s that?” she asked, cutting the pie into large slices. I told her that we were dating and she smiled. “That’s cute,” she said, winking at Josiah. “I thought you had some real news. News I didn’t know,” she said with a smirk. I laughed and asked how she knew. “Well for one, when y’all came a couple of weeks ago to help me clean out Daddy’s stuff, I could tell by the way y’all were acting.”
I looked to Josiah and he shrugged. I couldn’t remember acting any different. But that’s because even before we dated we were super comfortable with each other. Probably too comfortable.
My mama placed her hand on top of Josiah’s and said, “You promised him you’d take care of her.” Josiah looked down. “I knew you would keep your promise.” My mom’s eyes began to water and Josiah cleared his throat. If I wasn’t mistaken, he may have had a little mist in his eyes too.
“Leave it to Brooklyn, I’m not taking care of her though,” he joked, and my mom laughed.
She looked at me and said, “Oh, I know. I know.” She took a bite of pie and her and Josiah had a good laugh together at my expense. “Even as a kid she didn’t want help with nothing. Not learning how to tie her shoe, use the potty, then as she got older—she had to teach herself how to ride a bike.” Josiah laughed covering his mouth and turning away from me.
“Alright,” I said. “I didn’t know it was a bad thing to be independent,” I said eyeing my mom.
“Not a bad thing. Just not always necessary.” She collected each of our plates and walked them to the sink. “Just know you don’t have to do it all by yourself.”
I sighed, “Okay, Mama.” I stood from my seat at the table and said, “We should get going, we are headed to the club tonight.” I walked over to the sink and asked her, “Do you have plans tonight?”
A wide grin spread across her face, the widest I’d seen in… years. “I do.” I leaned against the counter and waited for her to elaborate. “I have a date.”
“What?” Josiah said as I gasped. I wrapped my arms around her neck and suddenly felt the need to stick around to help her prepare for her date. “What are you wearing?” I asked. She described the dress she had picked out. “I should stay and help you get ready,” I suggested.
“Nonsense, girl. You and Josiah get out of here so I can finish relaxing before I need to get ready.” She hugged my neck and directed me to the door. “Y’all be safe tonight and have fun.” I returned the same words to her and we both said, “Love you.” I kissed her cheek and promised to call to see how her date went.
When we got in the car, Josiah asked, “How do you feel about your mom dating? Maybe a man being around?”
“Curtains,” I whispered, and his eyes grew before he nodded his head. I was happy she was dating and getting out there. I wasn’t as excited to start thinking about what that’d mean for our family. So I changed the subject. “Guess mom’s know everything, huh?”
Josiah laughed and nodded his head. Then I had to ask. “Josiah.” He turned his head towards me. “What was she talking about when she said you promised to take care of me?”
He looked back to the road and didn’t speak for a few minutes. When he finally did he said, “Your dad.” He took a deep breath and I was starting to think maybe he did need a safe word. I was about to tell him he didn’t have to tell me anymore when he said, “The last time we spoke, he asked that I always take care of you.” He looked at me, and surprisingly the thought of my dad telling the young Josiah to always take care of me now explained a lot.
“Is that why you are always checking for me?” He laughed and shrugged his shoulders. “Talk about keeping a promise,” I said jokingly. “Thank you.”
“Brooklyn.” I looked to him, still smiling as he said, “Even if he never told me that, I would.” I closed my eyes, tight. The tears had started to sting but I didn’t want them to fall.
I took a deep breath and said, “Okay, we need to get to the club and dance before I’m curled up in a ball all night in my emotions.” He laughed.
We met up with Skylar and Tony at the club that night. Toasted to our friendship, to Josiah’s freedom from his boot, and to Tony’s new boo—who Skylar was adamant about not joining us.
We were on the dance floor when “Twerk” started playing. Skylar looked at me and smiled. “We still doing this?” she asked. I nodded my head enthusiastically.
A couple of guys tried to gather around us, but we curved them and kept showing out just for the two of us. “Hey,” Skylar said as the song changed. “Who is that all over your man?”
I looked in the direction of the bar to where Josiah and Tony were standing earlier. I saw Tessa squeezed between them. I rolled my eyes and said, “That’s Tessa. That crazy chick Josiah used to talk to.”
Skylar looked to her then back to me and, with her hand on her hip, she asked, “And you aren’t mad she’s all over him now?”
I smirked. “Not one bit. Josiah doesn’t want any of that,” I said confidently. Skylar laughed and slapped my shoulder.
She walked off towards them anyway. “J.O., Tony,” she announced as she stared at Tessa.
Tessa stared back but didn’t budge. Josiah looked between them and then to me and asked, “What’s going on?”
I laughed and told him I had no idea. Then I lifted myself to his lips and kissed him deeply, and he kissed me back hooking his hands on my hips. “I love you,” he said loud enough for Tessa to hear.
I winked at him and said, “And I love you.” Tessa gasped before storming off.
Tony handed Skylar and I a drink and again we toasted. “To the Art Crew,” I said with a deep grin.
Josiah cleared his throat and said, “And to us.” He kissed my forehead and I couldn’t remember a time when I was more happy.
✩✩✩✩✩
He’s Just a Friend is my twelfth book as an indie author, and if you’ve been rocking with me since my first, hugs and kisses to you!
If this is your first dip into my stories, you have some catching up to do. But welcome to the tribe.
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About the Author
J. Nichole received her bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Florida A&M University and a master’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
J. Nichole has spent the past eleven years as an IT Consultant. She is married with one daughter, and a fur baby.
For more information:
www.NotTheLastPage.com
Also by J. Nichole
Love 101 Series:
Freshmen Fifteen
Sophisticated Sophomore
Summer Fling
Grown & Sexy Senior
Creative Love
Running from Love
City Lights: A Short Story
Christmas Secrets: A Short Story
Boyfriend for Christmas
Unexpected: A Love Story
#FutureHusband
Coming Soon:
A Girl Like Me
