Love- a Forgotten Art

by Ivy Symone

  Morning sex is always a great way to start the day. But I know as soon as it’s over, I’m not going to want to get out of bed. I will want to just lie here next to Dasani and want her to let me hold her for hours.

  After dropping my DNA off in her three times, we bring our session to an end. Instead of letting me hold her, she rolls out of my reach and grabs her phone.

  “Is your husband looking for you?” I ask.

  She chuckles, but don’t take her eyes away from the phone. “I’m not married.”

  “Not yet. Didn’t you refer to him as your fiancé? Is there a date set?”

  She shakes her head. “No date yet.”

  “How long have y’all been engaged?”

  She gives a half-shrug and look up to the ceiling while trying to remember. “Maybe three months.”

  “That’s recent. Are you not sure anymore?”

  She places her phone back on the nightstand. She looks at me and shakes her head. “There’s so much I’m not sure of anymore.”

  “Is there anything you’re sure of at all?”

  She gives it some thought before shaking her head again.

  As stated before, I’m a man who knows what he wants and not afraid to go after it. I remain confident in just about anything I set my mind to. I ask her, “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

  She giggles. “Please don’t say something corny.”

  “Why is being in love corny?”

  She shrugs.

  “Have you ever been in love, Dasani?”

  “I’m not sure how that feels.”

  “Yet, you have a fiancé. Is it out of convenience?”

  “No. I love my fiancé, but I can’t say I’m in love.”

  “Would you like to know what being in love feels like?”

  She smiles. “Are you volunteering to show me?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  She’s taken aback. She sits up on the edge of the bed giving me her back. “You don’t know me, Prime.”

  “That fact has been established already. I told you, I want to change that. But while I’m getting to know you, what’s wrong with still being in love?”

  She stands up and turn to face me. “I don’t want things—”

  “God, you’re beautiful.” I can’t help it as I admire her every physical feature.

  She blushes.

  “And you know it too, huh?”

  She smiles.

  “So, that’s one thing you’re sure of. You know you’re beautiful. Why can’t you be sure of being in love too?”

  “Maybe one—”

  “Nope,” I interrupt her. “No maybe’s or no’s.”

  She pouts playfully. “Prime.”

  “I’m gonna make you fall in love,” I tell her. “And whoever the nigga is, you can text him right now and let him know you’re not coming back.”

  She laughs. “You’re crazy.”

  “You ain’t seen crazy yet.”

  “Just how crazy can you get?”

  “You’ll see,” I warn her playfully.

  I watch her look around for her clothes. I ask, “What are you doing?”

  “I gotta get up out of here,” she mumbles.

  “Nope. Didn’t I tell you already? Today is my day. We’re getting to know each other. I wanna know everything about you.”

  She laughs me off. “Prime, I gotta get home. I don’t even have a change of clothes. And I gotta—”

  I’m not trying to hear any more of what she’s talking about. I hold my finger up for her to stop. I grab my phone and dial up Bea.

  “Good morning, brother,” Bea answers cheerfully.

  “I need some women’s attire. Something comfortable, fun, and sexy. A vibrant color that looks good against chocolate.”

  Dasani is looking at me in shock, but she can’t help but smile.

  “What size?” Bea asks.

  I ask Dasani, “What size do you wear in clothes and shoes?”

  “Prime, really?”

  “Answer the question woman.”

  She sighs. “I’m an eight. And I wear eights in shoes.”

  “Your feet look smaller than that,” I remark. I relay the information to Bea.

  Bea asks, “Is there a certain environment you want me to be mindful of?”

  “Not really. Maybe for strolling the waterfront, a nice afternoon brunch, catching a movie, early dinner, and easily removable for fucking later.”

  Bea laughs. “Prime, you are crazy. But I got you. See you shortly.”

  I end the call and look at Dasani. “What else do you need me to handle?”

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  I’m glad Dasani stopped playing hard to get and let her guard down. The day turned out to be one of the best day-long dates I’ve had with a woman in a while. And the best part of it all is seeing Dasani relaxed, comfortable, and enjoying herself. She hasn’t stopped smiling all day. I take pride in removing some of the stress from her if only for this day.

  “She is beautiful,” Bea comments as she eyes Dasani. She’s carrying on with one of the staffers of the boat we’re on, The Frankee O.

  I had to call in a favor from my good friend Zino. He happily allowed me to use his personal yacht, staff, and his second home in Citrine Valley. This was the perfect way to end the day; cruising the massive Emerald Bay.

  Bea and I sit in the sky lounge going over my week’s itinerary. Though I love taking the time to enjoy life before it passes me by, I still have to stay on top of business. Most of my money generate more money on its own, but I still got to make deals happen.

  “What are your intentions with her?” Bea asks.

  “Make her my wife,” I answer honestly.

  Bea sighs dreamily. “She doesn’t even realize how lucky she is, does she?”

  I laugh. “I don’t think so. She doesn’t know who I am.”

  “Do you plan to tell her?”

  I shrug. “It wouldn’t make a difference. She’s successful and influential in her own right. I don’t think that’s what she’s looking for, so hearing about me and what I am in the streets and in the corporate world wouldn’t necessarily impress her.”

  “When you say successful, what are we talking?”

  “Google her. Better yet, go straight to her social media pages. Mother Pearl and Khandi Kosmetics spelled with a K-H and Kosmetics spelled with a K. Her personal pages are Dasani Withers.”

  Bea tap around on her iPad and becomes engrossed. It’s a minute before she speaks. Impressed, she says, “Well…Can’t say she wants you for your money. And did I see Camryn on her pages? She’s in quite a few photos on her company pages.”

  “Yep.”

  “Will that be a problem?”

  “I don’t care if it is. Cam will get over it.”

  Bea chuckles.

  “Did you see what her classless ass had on last night?” I ask.

  Bea turns up her nose. “Yeah, I saw it.”

  “I swear,” I shake my head. “And then she wonders why no man wants her ass. Yeah, anybody’ll fuck her, but making her his wife. Naw. That’s why she ain’t got no choice but to be with a woman.”

  “Is she seriously in a relationship with a woman?”

  I nod.

  “So, what was the purpose of wanting to fight Korrine?”

  “Just to get under her skin, I guess. She kinda get that honestly; just like her daddy.”

  Bea snickers. “Ain’t that the truth.”

  The head of staff, Sherri, comes out of the galley and patiently waits for me to address her.

  “Yes?”

  “Where would you like to dine, sir?” Sherri asks.

  I point to where Dasani is. “Out there would be nice.”

  Sherri nods.

  Bea says, “Me and Angie will eat in here.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Sherri says before disappearing into the galley.

  My phone lights up with an incoming call. It’s my wife. Reluctantly, I answer. “Yes?
”

  “Well, how are you, Perseus?”

  I’m annoyed already. She’s the only person besides my mother that insists on calling me by my real name. My mother I don’t mind because, shit, that’s my mother, but Korrine don’t have those same privileges like she thinks. Though I’m addressed by many titles and have a variation of nicknames, I prefer Prime. It’s the most fitting.

  “What do you want?”

  “Why do you always sound that way when I call?”

  “Because I’m not that excited to hear your voice.”

  “You’re still an ass.”

  “Okay?”

  She chuckles. “Since you’ve been back you’ve yet to make it home. So, I’m wondering when you plan to—”

  I interrupt her. “Let’s be clear, what you call home hasn’t been a home for me in years. Also, let the record show—”

  “This isn’t court, Perseus.”

  “Yeah, I know but this is practice for when it happens. And don’t interrupt me again. As I was saying, let the record show that as soon as I left you couldn’t wait to get another nigga up in there. So that’s that on that.”

  “Whatever. You were already fucking plenty of women before that. Let the record show who had an outside baby on who.”

  “Objection! That’s hearsay.”

  Bea is cracking up. Even my wife finds it amusing.

  “I cannot stand you!”

  “I know,” I say jovially. “But how are you doing, love?”

  “I’m doing alright, I guess. All jokes aside, it would be nice to see my husband. You’ve given your time to everybody else except us over here. And Beanie is dying to see you.”

  Giving in, I say, “I plan to stop through there; I’m just out here trying to get some things in order. You know, taking care of business. And I know my lil bean is. We spoke yesterday and text this morning. I promised her I’ll be there to take her shopping and spend a few days with her.”

  “I understand,” she says. “Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever…whoever.”

  “And you the same,” I say before ending the call. I give Bea a knowing look. All Bea can do is shrug and smirk goofily.

  The staff begins piling out of the galley ready to serve dinner. Instead of trying to impress Dasani by wining and dining her on land, I thought this would be more romantic. Since it’s fully staffed, I had the chef whip up some of his best Asian foods. The way her eyes lit up once she walked aboard and saw how everything had been prepared, I knew I had conquered her approval.

  Not that I’m trying to win her over with tangible things; it just helps tremendously.

  I leave Bea and join Dasani out on the deck. I peck her on the cheek before pulling a chair out for her to sit. I watch her as she watches the servants lay out everything on the table before us. Before leaving us be, they light several candles around us setting the ambiance perfectly.

  “I know we ate a few hours ago, but I feel like I’m starving,” she comments once we’re alone.

  I’m so happy with our progression because she has definitely loosened up. I can tell and it pleases me.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks coyly.

  “I just can’t get over how beautiful you are,” I tell her.

  She blushes and lowers her eyes to her plate. She uses her chopsticks skillfully to pick up her sushi.

  “So, Ms. Withers, will you tell me more about your companies, Mother Pearl and Khandi Kosmetics?” I ask.

  She holds her finger up as she continues to chew. She grabs her cloth napkin and dab at her mouth before speaking. “I thought we were done with the personal questions for the day.”

  “It’s hard not to want to get personal with you sitting across from me,” I explain. “Besides, you’ve only disclosed your favorite foods, places to visit, and colors. I need more.”

  “It’s impossible to know every detail about me in one day anyway.”

  “That’s why there’s seven days in a week. Those weeks make up months. Months make up a year. Do you see what I’m getting at?”

  She laughs. “So essentially you’re saying we have time to get to know each other.”

  My eyes light up. “Is that your way of saying we’re in a relationship?”

  She’s really tickled. She thinks I’m joking around but I’m dead serious.

  “I’m saying there’s tomorrow.”

  “I’ll take that. What time will you be joining me tomorrow?”

  “Prime!”

  I laugh. “I can’t help it.”

  “I got a busy day tomorrow,” she says carefully. “But I’ll see what the rest of my week is looking like.”

  That’s good enough. “Bet that. Well, is there anything you’d like to know about me?”

  “I guess the same question you asked me,” she says as she looks around. She gestures around her. “Like, who are you to be living like this? How are you connected to Zino Okonjo? I saw you sitting with the who’s who of Jewel City last night at the Lion’s Den.”

  “I told you who I am; I’m Prime. How could you know of Zino, but not heard of me?”

  “Should I have?”

  I shrug. I honestly think she’s lying about knowing who I am; however, I will entertain her for now. “To be fair, I haven’t lived in Jewel City for years. I come and go and remain in the know of the important things going on around here. But who you should have heard of is not of importance in this moment. Nowadays, I’m into different things anyway.”

  “What were you into before?”

  “Things I wish not to discuss right now.”

  “Can you discuss these different things you’re into presently?”

  “All good things. I have a nonprofit organization called PrimeHaven. I’m also into providing startup funding for small businesses. I dabble into real estate development as well.”

  “So, you’re an all-around businessman.”

  “Something like that. Now, are you going to tell me about your business?”

  “It’s just a hair line I started up almost two years ago. With the help of my cousin and her friends and their social media presence, it’s grown into a successful business. I also have the cosmetic line as well. I love it, and I love that I’m able to employ so many people.”

  “It’s rewarding for you in that sense?”

  “It is. And I love that I’m my own boss.”

  “Yes, that’s always good, huh?”

  She nods and returns her attention back to her food.

  “Can I ask you one more question?” I can’t help it.

  She nods giving me permission to ask.

  “What made someone of your caliber show up to a sex party?”

  “I guess the same as you. We like sex, right?”

  “I love it. Especially with someone who shares the same passion and nastiness.”

  “That we do,” she says quietly as she falls into thought. She places her chopsticks down on her plate and leans back in her chair. “Why isn’t it a problem for you that I have a fiancé and a kid?”

  “Nothing is ever a problem for me. I make whatever I want to happen. You’ll learn that soon.”

  She stares at me blankly as if what I said didn’t unsettle her. It’s meant to bother her though.

  Quietly she asks, “And what is it that you want to make happen between us?”

  “The same thing you want to happen.”

  “What’s that?” she asks. She tries to discreetly swallow her nervousness, but I see it.

  “You’ll soon find out,” I tell her. I keep my eyes on her as I drink from my glass.

  She clears her throat with uneasiness and take a sip from her own drink.

  Sherri comes into the deck with a serving cart. She places our dessert on the table and offers to take our empty dishes.

  “Do you want more to drink, Ma’am?” Sherri asks Dasani.

  “Yes please,” Dasani says politely.

  I wait until Sherri leaves before asking, “Where does your
fiancé think you are now?”

  “In Gemsville with my cousins.”

  That explains why her phone hasn’t been going off as it had been before.

  I ask, “Are you having second thoughts about the relationship?”

  “Sometimes. I mean, sometimes it’s great and other times I’m ready to throw the towel in. I think I stay because of the child.”

  “That’s a tough one.”

  “You’re not married or in a relationship?” she wants to know.

  I’ve never been one for telling lies and I wasn’t going to start now. I stand by if you can’t handle my truth then get the fuck on. But with Dasani, it’s different.

  “I’m not in a relationship right now, but I am legally married,” I answer. She looks as if she just lost her appetite.

  “I don’t fuck with married people,” she states. Her expression has grown firm.

  I say, “As you shouldn’t but let me explain.”

  “I wish you had disclosed that bit of information before all of this.” She’s growing more upset.

  “When would you have wanted me to tell you? Before you sat on my dick at the sex party or after you let me fuck you at the club?”

  God! Me and my fucking mouth. I can tell she wants to slap the shit out of me.

  Sherri returns with a bottle of wine for Dasani and clears the table of any remaining used dishes.

  Dasani’s energy has shifted. Her smile has vanished. She admits, “I know I don’t have a lot of room to say anything because I’m engaged, but at least I came to my senses and disclosed that information. You were presented with a choice if you wanted to keep seeing me.”

  “I was going to tell you, Dasani.”

  “When? After I’ve fallen in love?”

  I smile cockily. “So, you can see yourself falling in love with me?”

  She doesn’t answer. Instead, she gets up and walks over to the rail overlooking the bay. “It’s really nice out here.”

  Bea did an amazing job picking out Dasani’s clothes. This daffodil yellow strapless sundress Dasani has on complements her complexion flawlessly. I don’t think anyone else could make the dress look as good.

  I get up and I stand behind her, entrapping her between my arms. I press into her body and inhale the scent of her. I feel intoxicated and taken completely by this woman.