“No, you’re not. How long have you been standing there eyeballing my ass?”
“Long enough to lick off all my lip gloss.” He retrieved a tube of lip luminizer from his pocket and reapplied. He kept his eyes on her the whole time.
“Stop it,” she grumbled. “Creepoid.” She dipped into the closet, doing her best to contain the jitters that threatened to roll down her spine.
“I gotta run to the Lab,” he announced, sounding a lot closer than he was a second ago.
She hung up her dresses, then turned around to see him blocking her way out of the closet. “Okay.”
“I’ll be gone for a few hours.”
“Okay.” Avoiding his smoldering gaze, she tried to squeeze pass him.
He looped one arm around her shoulder and the other around her waist, attempting to trap her.
She wiggled against him and jabbed him in his armpit, one of his major tickle spots.
Grunting, he clamped his arm down and jerked away from her. “Wanna ride with me?”
Her heart trembled at the almost pleading sound in his voice. “Maybe next time. I wanna settle in and chill for a minute before my life goes back into overdrive. Maybe I’ll use that time to take a butt-naked dip in that ginormous sparkling pool of yours.”
“Naked?” A lusty smile spread across his face. He slowly approached her, his swagger dangerously sexy. “Ooo, you’re not playing fair, Nat.”
“Nah, don’t put the blame on me. You—you started it,” she stammered. She found herself backing away, her feet scrambling across the cool wooden floor. “With the—you know! The eye-fuckin’ thing you do. You know what you do!” The back of her legs hit the bed. “And you don’t let up either. You’re consistent with it. Throughout our whole friendship, you’ve—you—you know what you’ve done!” Dammit, Naturi, what were you thinking? Teasing Raven was like waving a fresh slab of steak in front of a hungry bear. “Tit for tat.”
He stopped before her, standing an arm’s length away, mirth and desire in beaming from his gaze. “When I get back tonight, we should talk. Like, really talk.”
Lips pursed, she cocked her head. “Oh, now you wanna talk?”
“Am I too late?”
“You’re never too late, Raven.”
“Good.” He drew in a deep inhale, then cleared his throat. “My brother told me to sit down, shut up and listen. So that’s what I plan to do.”
“Remi said that? Wow, I’m impressed that something so wise would come from someone like him,” she jested.
Raven chuckled. “No arguments, deflections or sexual distractions. Promise. Just me and you… and a bottle of whiskey. That way if some crazy shit goes down, we can just blame it on the alcohol.”
She smiled. “Okay, sir. I’mma hold you to that.”
“Please do.” Curving his hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her against him. The warmth of his solid body coursed through her. His lips found her temple and rested there.
It was a sweet gesture, but no less calming to her frazzled nerves.
Will tonight be the start of something wonderful? Will we finally call this thing between us what it is? Would they finally become lovers? The thought sent her into a frenzy. Oh my Gawd! The butterflies fluttered down into her pelvis and lingered.
A muffled ringing rose between them. Raven threw his head back and huffed, “Aghhh, I’m coming—damn.” He stepped away, leaving her body cold in his absence. “Be back.”
Briefly closing her eyes, she palmed her chest and breathed out a soft sigh. “And I’ll be here, catching up on…” She retrieved the e-reader she left sitting on the bed. “Attack on Titan.”
He stopped short of the door and peered back at her. “Since when are you a manga reader?”
“Jonie gave it to me. I ate through the first book in less than an hour. I can’t stop. I’m hooked and invested in the characters now.”
Smiling, he slipped out of the room. “That’s a mistake.”
“Whadda ya mean by that?” She rushed after him. “Aw man, don’t tell me someone else dies. My heart can’t take it. Who? Tell me now!”
“And ruin the story for you? C’mon now, girl. You know me better than that.”
“It better not be Armin,” she whined, following him down the stairs. “If they kill my little innocent boo-boo, I’ll be mad as hell.”
He chuckled at her expense. “See ya later, Nat.”
She stood there at the foot of the stairs at watched him until he disappeared from her sight. Minutes later, the husky growl of his V-rod’s muscle sounded. Then the sweet whirr of the tires burning the concrete shot through the sound waves.
In a flash, all was silent again.
Chapter 16
Last Goodbye
Three weeks ago
After the funeral, at the burial site…
Finally, Lester was in the ground and out of her life.
Good riddance. May he find peace in the embrace of the dirt around him.
As Naturi stood there, watching her relatives depart the site, tears formed. She’d told herself she wouldn’t cry during his funeral, but the emotions bubbling up inside were too much to suppress.
Jonie kissed her on the forehead and made his way to the limo with his family. As expected, her other two brothers, who’d only tossed glares her way throughout the ceremony, said nothing to her.
That was for the best.
Had either one of them dared to open their mouths after all the shit they put her through, nothing Raven did or said would’ve kept her from unleashing all hell on them both.
Janice skipped the graveside ceremony. Another one who evaded a cemetery ass whooping. Her absence didn’t mean she was gone forever. She will surely rear her big, blonde head again soon.
Naturi brushed her hand over her cheek, wiping at the wetness leaking down her face.
Posted quietly at her side, Raven handed her a tissue.
Burying her old man, in addition to all the family drama, didn’t solicit her tears. No.
The reason for her sudden burst of emotion stood on the opposite side her father’s resting place.
Darius. The man who had her ready to take that stroll down the aisle of matrimony. That was, until she found out he was an undercover dick lover.
Rage consumed her. How dare he show his face at her father’s funeral. The fuckin’ balls on this man! Seeing him was not only a reminder of how badly he hurt her, it was a reminder of how un-pretty and unwanted she felt afterward. He shattered her confidence and steamrolled over her dignity. Took her a long time to find and love herself again.
“Hey, Naturi,” he called out softly. “How ya holding up?”
Ya gotta be kiddin’ me. The devil is hella busy today.
Darius’s eyes shifted between her and Raven, and back again. Most people who rested their gaze on Raven couldn’t help but stare, but Darius seemed afraid to gaze at him longer than a second. He rounded the plot, coming toward her.
Flipping her hand in a shooing manner, Naturi turned to walk away.
“Wait… Naturi!” Darius jogged after her and skipped around her to cut her off. “Can we talk?”
“Are you high?”
“Please.”
“Why are you here, Darius?”
“I didn’t come to cause any problems—”
“As if you don’t know that you being here is a big damn problem. Again, why are you here?”
His eyes shifted toward Raven. “Look, I know things didn’t end well between us…”
“Get outta my face, please.”
“But I still cared for your parents.” For the umpteenth time, he snuck a glimpse at Raven. “I just wanted to offer my condolences.”
“Why do you keep looking at…?” She glanced over at Raven.
Fury was written all over his face. Eyes like deathly daggers were zoned in on Darius. She’d never seen Raven look so pissed. If looks could kill, Darius would be struck dead on the spot.
“Bitch, who—Oh
my God,” came a strident call from across the funeral grounds. “I can’t believe this shit!”
Everyone turned in the direction of the familiar sharp, high-pitched voice.
“Darius Thompson!” Leaning out of the third limo, Zion gave Darius a pointed stare. “What’re you doing here? You ran out of dicks to suck?”
Oh gawd, no she didn’t… Heat rushed to Naturi’s face. She covered her mouth to hide her shock. I really shouldn’t be surprised. It’s Zion for God’s sake.
Darius’s eyes grew wide and his jaw drew tight. A shade of bright red spread across his face.
“The nerve of you to come prancin’ around family after the shit you pulled.” She stepped all the way out of the car, hands on her hips, head tilted. Her voice continued to soar in a piercing pitch that might just wake the dead. “Had my cousin all eager to sail into matrimonial bliss with you, and you knew damn well you liked sucking dicks.” By this time, she’d garnered the attention of everyone, even those who were simply visiting their past love ones. “Why didn’t you just tell yo’ mama you were gay instead of dragging Nat into some fake ass relationship?”
Darius released a sound between a groan and a cry. The mortification he felt stained his face. Hands clenched into fists, he marched away, doing his best to get away from Zion’s lashing words.
“By the way, I bought that sakura lamp you put on the registry for the wedding that didn’t happen! I know it was you, ‘cause my cousin don’t like no sappy shit like that. You owe me eighty dollars, nigga!”
“Z!” Naturi screeched. “Really?”
“Uh-uhh, don’t feel sorry for him.” Zion’s fiery glare was glued on Darius as he took long strides toward his car. “He didn’t feel sorry for you when he was giving that ass to Joe, Chuck and Harry! Just know this, Darius Thompson, every time you sashay yo’ flamingo ass across my path, I’m gonna embarrass the fuck outta you!”
“Guess that means embarrassing me too, huh, Zion,” Naturi croaked out, doing her best to hold back fresh tears.
Zion sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, sis. He had it coming, and I ain’t done with his ass either.” Directing her attention back to him, she hollered, “I hope and pray your next shit is hard and square, nigga!”
“Zion—girl, where in the world is your home training?” Aunt Dahlia marched toward the line of limos, her face as red as Darius’s.
“Back at home, Auntie,” Zion harped, laughter in her voice.
“Get your loud and crazy behind in that car…”
As Aunt Dahlia berated Zion, Naturi hesitantly turned to face Raven.
She hadn’t told him about Darius. In retrospect, she hadn’t even talked about what happened between them. It was too painful to discuss. But as she gazed up into Raven’s compassionate eyes, it became clear that he already knew. Zion must have told him.
“Well, that just happened,” she grumbled, allowing her eyes to wander down his frame.
God, I can’t get over how disgustingly handsome this man is.
His eye makeup was done to perfection. His lips glistened under the sunlight. He wore a tailored black jacket. Beneath it, a silver-ish grey shirt clung to his torso. The top buttons were undone, blessing the viewing public with a glimpse of his collarbone. Also tailored, black slacks reached down his legs, failing to hide the toned muscles that hid beneath.
A small smirk lifted on the corner of his lips. “Don’t be upset with her. I’m sure she means well.”
Naturi took in a deep breath and exhaled on a shaky sigh. “She always does, in her own little twisted way. Can we get outta here? ‘Cause I’ve had enough of this scene.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
She followed Raven to his borrowed Ducati, wanting to do nothing but ride for the rest of the day.
As she moved across the cemetery grounds, she ignored the plethora of eyes following her every move. The quicker they got on the road, the better.
Raven collected the helmets, then climbed onto the bike in a fluid, sexy motion. “Let’s go dancing.”
Taken aback, she snapped, “Say what?”
“You heard me.” He held the helmet out to her.
There were so many things racing through her mind, she couldn’t think straight. But dancing… Did he really just suggest that after all she’d been through? She just put her dad in the ground. The majority of her family were treating her like a villain in a bad drama. Her father’s mistress was being a pain in the ass. Not to mention, Darius showed up to remind her of the day her whole world fell apart. And this fool, this beautiful fool, wanted to go dancing?
“Are you crazy?”
He gifted her with that boyish smile that always made her heart flutter just a little faster. “I know the perfect place. C’mon.” While straddling the bike, he pulled her close and pushed the helmet down over her head. “Let’s go, girl.”
Without another word of protest, she mounted the two-wheeler, wrapped her arms around him, and hung on tight.
Chapter 17
Hoe Season
Naturi quickly changed into her bikini. She grabbed her e-reader, her phone, and a towel then made her way out to the pool.
It was a glamorous setup. The covered patio was equipped with an outdoor kitchen, a stoned-in grill island, a comfy seating area, a few lounge chairs, a large illuminated pool, and of course, a hot tub. Shiny mosaic tiles lined the floor of the pool, giving it an extra sparkle.
“Nice. Very nice.” She dropped her stuff on the lounge chair and hurried into the pool. The cool water enveloped her as she descended the lighted steps. She swept her hands through the gentle waves and dove beneath the surface.
The day of the funeral continued to soar through her mind.
When that day started, she couldn’t wait for it to end. But Raven… He somehow turned it into one of the best days of her life.
And then I had to go and mess it up.
*****
After the burial cemetery…
After they left the cemetery, Raven returned his friend’s bike then they took an Uber to the mall.
Naturi didn’t really have any clubbing attire, and she wasn’t about to wear any of Zion’s skimpy threads, so Raven suggested they go shopping.
As usual, when they went out in public together, they garnered a lot of attention. People paused to look, as if they were celebrities. Some women stared and whispered to one another when they walked by.
Naturi didn’t care for the attention, which was probably why she noticed it. Raven seemed unbothered by it all. He had one goal in mind and he was all the way focused on that.
Surprisingly, when it came to her figure, he had her sized up pretty well. Everything he pulled off the rack fit to her to a T, which was crazy, ‘cause she never had that kind of luck when she went shopping for herself. She carried wide hips, a big ass and a medium-sized upper body with large breasts. Putting outfits together was always a struggle. Her size chart fluctuated between eight and ten. Whether the clothes fit or not at all depended on how the clothes were made.
Despite the constant trips to the dressing room, shopping with Raven turned out to be a blast.
Every time she uttered the words, “I can’t wear that,” he made her try it on just to prove to her that she could wear it. The man was relentless.
At one point, she had a hard time, zipping up the back of a cocktail dress.
Raven slipped inside the dressing room to zip it up for her. Only he did it slowly, deliberately, and seductively. Standing behind her, he gazed at her through the mirror. He smoothed his hands over her waist and down to her hips. In his eyes, she saw raw passion so strong, it could swallow her whole.
“Raven…” she breathed out, doing her best to contain herself.
He blinked rapidly, as if he’d been caught in a trance for a moment there. “Gorgeous. We’re getting it.” Then he dipped out.
By the time they were done shopping, she had eleven new outfits to add to her wardrobe
.
Naturi told herself that they were just two friends out shopping and enjoying each other’s company, but in her heart, she knew what they shared was so much more than that.
As soon as the night fell, clubbing time was upon them.
Raven wore a pair of black leather pants, red and black leather high-tops, and a crimson toned shirt. Like always, he left the top three buttons opened, putting his neckline and his smooth, chiseled chest on display.
Matching his color scheme, she donned a pair of leather leggings and a side-drift top, with the zipper parkways down, showing off her cleavage. Hell, if he was showing skin, she would show hers too.
He took her to a hot spot uptown. The place was jumping.
The base from the music pulsated through her before she even set foot inside the building. She thought they would have to wait, being that there was a throng of folks lined up, waiting to get inside.
Raven apparently had the hook up. The bouncer smiled and nodded to them, then unlatched the velvet rope. She didn’t ask any questions; she just followed Raven’s lead. They breezed past the checkpoint, leaving the anxious crowd outside.
Once inside, they were offered grade—A VIP service.
They settled in a booth that overlooked the dance floor. Raven headed to the bar. Before she knew it, she was sipping on a tasty bourbon laced drink.
A fusion of reggae and Latin blasted from the speakers, the sound so compelling, it made her sway against her will.
He offered his hand and nodded toward the mass of whirling bodies below them. “You coming?”
Feeling tipsy, she giggled and shook her head. “Nah, I’m good. I’ll just watch you burn it up.”
“Alright. But when I come back up here and ask a second time, you don’t get to say no.” He winked, then headed down to the dance floor. The second his foot came down on the shiny platform, Raven started to work it. A crowd of women immediately surrounded him.
She knew Raven could dance ‘cause she’d seen him work it out a time or two, but she never knew he could work his body like that. As the Jamaicans would say, the boy knew how to durty whine.
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