The Games We Play

by Alexandra Warren

  “And I’m about to win right now. So what that mean?” I asked her, gnawing at my lip as I looked down at her and waited for her to dispute my claims.

  She didn’t, slipping closer to me and wrapping her arms around my waist as she gushed, “It means, get us to the bedroom as fast as you can.”

  I didn’t think twice before I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulder, making her squeal and giggle as she reached to smack my bare ass. But I wasn’t fazed, smiling to myself as I carried her down the hall while asking, “We’re actually fuckin’ in your bed for a change? I might have to let you win more often.”

  Her body went still in my hold around her legs. And though I couldn’t see her face, I could still feel the tension when she said, “Chance. You didn’t, did you? You didn’t, “let me win”?”

  Of course her competitive ass was worried about that of all things, making me laugh as I told her, “Nah, you did your thing. I might’ve been a little tipsy, but I still wanted to win. And I didn’t, because you knew what you were doing on the sticks.”

  She seemed satisfied with that by the time I tossed her on the bed, a smirk on her face as she rested on her elbows and said, “Thank you. Now it’s time for a little victory lap.”

  I couldn’t have agreed more, pulling at her panties and tossing them to the side before climbing on the bed to join her. And I was just getting ready to dive right in until she stopped me with a hand to my chest. “Uhhh… you’re forgetting something.”

  “Oh, damn. My bad,” I told her, standing back up and waiting for her to direct me to the condom stash I hadn’t seen with my own two eyes since she usually was the one to get them. And as I dug in her nightstand drawer, I couldn’t help but laugh as I pulled out a condom along with her little bullet vibrator. “So this is what you be on when I’m not here, huh?”

  She shrugged as much as she could in her position. “A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”

  “Let me see,” I told her, tossing the toy onto the bed within her reach before instructing, “Play with it for me.”

  “Chance…” she groaned, obviously more in the mood for me than her toy. But I wasn’t budging, the idea of watching Londyn get herself off way too sexy for me to skip out on now that I had the opportunity.

  She grunted as she reached for the toy, clicking it on to a resounding buzz before gliding it against her inner thighs to taunt me. But eventually, she pressed it gently against her clit, immediately arching from the bed in reaction as if she had surprised herself. Then she had all eyes on me, one hand keeping her bullet exactly where she wanted it while the other grabbed her breast, giving it a squeeze that had me grabbing my own shit.

  “Damn,” I moaned, slowly stroking myself in my hand as I watched her work. And once she realized the effect her little show was having on me, she went all in, tweaking her nipples, biting her lip, hissing and humming in reaction to the pleasure.

  It was… hypnotizing. But thankfully, I didn’t have to stay still, slipping the condom on before finally rejoining her on the bed. Then I kept her little toy between us as I dug inside her, the combination of the vibrations against her clit and my dick enough to make her yelp.

  It would’ve been nothing for me to give her the usual, get rough the way she liked and pound her into a stupor before making her cum a couple times then getting my own. But tonight felt… different.

  Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was just the general good vibe lingering between us. But something told me to take my time, give her spine-tingling slow strokes and gentle kisses everywhere I could reach. So that was exactly what I did, a delicious friction created with every plunge as I kissed and nibbled against her collarbone before moving my lips to hers. And she greedily accepted every crevice of my mouth, groaning through the dance of our tongues as she dropped her toy to bring both of her hands to my face to pull me closer.

  Our lips were just barely parted when she groaned, “Oh my God, Chance. You’re gonna fuck around and turn me psycho for real, for real.”

  “Good,” I told her with a smirk, continuing the steady groove in my hips as I rolled them into her.

  Her eyes were squeezed shut as she replied, “Not. Good. But so... good.”

  She was absolutely right, everything about the moment feeling like something I had never felt before; a connection much deeper than just a casual fuck. And while I’d definitely have to revisit what the hell was happening later, for now I wanted it all, telling her, “Open your eyes, baby. I wanna see you.”

  “Chance, this is… too much,” she moaned, cracking her eyes open just slightly as if it was a struggle.

  Since I felt myself on the brink of bustin’ and bustin’ hard, I couldn’t have agreed more. Though I still managed to correct, “It’s perfect, Londyn. You’re perfect.”

  With all that was going on at once, somehow it was that - a simple compliment - that took her over the edge, cumming in waves as she gripped the sheets and sang my name while I continued to give her everything I had - whatever she wanted. And once we were both satiated, I collapsed onto the bed next to her, a thick silence between us until Londyn said, “I’m like… shedding actual tears right now. What the fuck is happening?”

  I turned on my side so that I could see her, wiping them away for her as I teased, “Good dick will do that to you, Londyn. Grown man dick. You don’t know nothin’ about that.”

  “So you have a few glasses of wine and now you’re grown?” she asked with a laugh, climbing from the bed to go clean herself up.

  I was only a few steps behind when I told her, “Nah, I’ve been grown. Just waiting for you to catch up.”

  “Boy, what are you even talking about? I’ve been on,” she replied with a proud smirk, her lips twisted in the mirror as if she was daring me to say she was wrong. But she was speaking nothing but the truth, her shit obviously clicking on all cylinders from her job, to her crib, to her whip, and everything in between.

  Only thing missing is me.

  With that, I had to agree, “You sure have. Sexy ass.”

  Then I smacked her ass, making her giggle before she asked, “You’re staying the night, right? I mean, it’s really late and you’ve been drinking so it wouldn’t make sense for you to…”

  While it was cute to see her beat around the topic, I still cut her off, disposing of the condom as I said, “Londyn, just tell me what you want.”

  She was struggling to say it, I could tell by the look in her eyes. But I needed to hear it, needed to know we were really on the same page this time. And even if it took all night, I wasn’t letting her move until she said, “I want you to stay the night, Chance. In my bed.”

  It came out as more of a whisper, something I probably wouldn’t have been able to hear if it wasn’t just the two of us. But I had heard her, and I was more than happy to accept her invitation with a simple, “Okay.”

  “Okay?” she asked, her eyebrow piqued as if she was really surprised to hear it.

  I nodded, making it clear when I told her, “Yes, Londyn. I’ll stay. Just don’t be tryna back your ass into my dick all night. I’m cashed out.”

  “You’re never cashed out when it comes to me, Chance,” she gushed, grabbing my hand to lead us back towards the bed. And I wondered if she was going to test her little theory when she pulled the cover back, climbing in first then inviting me to join. But she didn’t, instead settling in right under my arm the same way she had done back at my hotel with the same perfect fit to match.

  I was already dozing off when a booming sound in the distance snapped me back awake, the fact that Londyn wasn’t snoring yet prompting me to ask, “Yo, did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?” she asked, her voice groggy as if she might’ve been sleep after all.

  But now that I had her full attention, I told her, “It sounded like somebody knocking.”

  She immediately brushed it off, snuggling tighter against me as she replied, “No one in their right mind would be knocking at my door at
this time of night besides you. And you’re right here so…”

  The sound came again, cutting her off and making me anxious all at once.

  “Nah, Londyn. Somebody is definitely out there. I know you heard that.”

  As if we had asked the culprit to speak up, a voice shouted, “LoLo! LoLo, let me in, I gotta piss!”

  Whoever it was was obviously familiar with Londyn if he was calling her LoLo. And while the only person that came to my mind was Eric - meaning we were caught - I was just slightly relieved to hear her huff, “Damnit, Khalid.”

  She climbed out of the bed and grabbed a robe to throw on while I sat there trying to figure out what I should do since she hadn’t exactly given me any instructions before she took off down the hall towards the front door.

  Do I stay here, or go in as back-up?

  Is she coming back any time soon, or is she staying out there with him?

  And why is this nigga showing up to her spot this late at night anyway?

  That final thought was enough to mess up my vibe completely, the decision to get dressed and leave the only one that made sense until I realized I had left my clothes in the living room after our little game.

  “Damnit,” I hissed, my eyes flashing towards the door when it sounded like Khalid’s words were getting louder meaning he was a lot closer than he should’ve been.

  “Man, whose car is that out there in my…”

  His words came to a halt once he noticed me sitting in the bed in my boxers, changing the direction of his little spiel with an, “Awww shit. What upppp, Chance? Happy to see y’all made up and what not. I told her crazy ass to stop trippin’ on you.”

  My face twisted at multiple things. Him talking to me like we were familiar, him commenting on Londyn and I’s situation as if it was any of his business, the fact that not only had he invited himself into Londyn’s bedroom without protest, but that she had even let him get this far without warning him I was in there.

  She really wasn’t focused on me at all, shoving him away as she said, “Khalid, will you just shut up and go to the bathroom?”

  He crunched in response to her push, looking down at her to defend, “I did though, didn’t I, LoLo? Call me the love doctor in this bitch!” Then, like any intoxicated person, his train of thought quickly switched to something new when he asked, “Yo, you got somethin’ to drink? My throat is dry as hell.”

  “You just said you had to pee! Now go pee!” Londyn barked with another push, one that actually made him move.

  “Aight, aight, my bad. I’m going,” he replied with his hands up, finally disappearing towards the bathroom as Londyn released an annoyed sigh. And she wasn’t the only one annoyed as I rolled my eyes, hopping up from the bed and blowing past her towards the living room now that I finally had a chance to get my clothes.

  She watched me get dressed from the back of the couch, a somber expression on her face when she said, “I’m sorry. He hasn’t done this in a really, really long time.”

  “Guess that’s what friends are for, huh?” I asked her, snatching my shirt over my head just as Khalid emerged from the bathroom.

  Now that I could get a good look at him, I could tell he was drunk as hell, tossing his arm over Londyn’s shoulder for support as he said, “So, Chance. Now that I’m finally meeting you, I gotta tell you I admire your game, man. You really had my homie over here buggin’ out over yo’ ass. That’s lowkey goals, bro.”

  Once again, my face twisted, wanting to be even more annoyed with him for knowing so much of our business - or maybe annoyed with Londyn for letting him on so much. But I couldn’t be too upset once I watched Londyn throw a stiff elbow into his side to keep him quiet.

  “Khalid, shut… up!”

  “What, Londyn? I’m just telling the truth. Showing love to another real nigga, you feel me?” he asked… me?

  Is he asking me or her?

  He was so all over the place, I couldn’t tell. But even if I wasn’t sure, Londyn knew to answer, “No. I absolutely don’t feel you. Now can you leave?”

  His face scrunched and I automatically knew some bullshit was coming next. “Leave, how? I didn’t drive. I caught an Uber over here. It was cheaper than going all the way to my spot since that surge pricing was tryna leave a hole in my pockets. That security job decent, but it don’t pay that gotdamn much.”

  “It’s cool. He can stay. I’ll leave,” I told her, grabbing the hoodie I knew I couldn’t leave at her spot if I expected to ever see it again.

  I had barely gotten it over on my head when Londyn slipped from under Khalid to catch me by the wrist. “Chance, no. I mean, I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay and I want him to find some business.”

  Khalid sucked his teeth as if he couldn’t believe she was kicking him out. But other than that, he remained quiet as I replied, “Nah, it’s aight. Take care of your… friend. I’ll catch you later.” Then I headed towards the door before I got too invested in what was happening.

  Secretly, I wanted to get invested. Set the tone that now that I was in the picture, this drop-by in the middle of the night shit was over and done with. But the fact that I’d only be in town for two more weeks said that would’ve been doing way too much; setting boundaries that wouldn’t even matter once I was gone.

  So I played it easy, even through Londyn’s obvious annoyance when she followed me to the door. “Okay. Well text me… when you make it home. I haven’t forgotten how much wine you had.”

  I appreciated her at least still caring that much. But when I peeked behind her and saw Khalid making himself comfortable on the couch, replacing me, I could only shake my head as I told her, “Trust me, Londyn. I’m beyond sober now.”

  Londyn

  Which one of his locs am I going to cut off first?

  That was all I kept thinking as I stared at Khalid sprawled out on my couch, snoring his ass off even though it was well past noon. I still couldn’t believe he had shown up to my house in the middle of the night, drunker than a skunk and spilling tea to Chance like he didn’t know any better; not to mention he had interrupted what would’ve otherwise been a perfect night. But I knew Khalid only let himself get like that when something was really bothering him, that fact enough to have me legitimately concerned instead of reaching for a pair of scissors like I wanted to.

  Still, that didn’t mean I was going to play completely nice, giving him an aggressive shake to wake him while barking, “What happened last night that had you drinking yourself under the table?!”

  He groaned in response, flipping onto his stomach to dodge me as he whined, “Dude, it’s too early for this interrogation shit.”

  Somehow I found enough strength to flip him back upright so that I could see his face when I told him, “It’s not even early and you fucked up my night, so I want answers. Who is she?”

  “Who is who, Londyn?” he groaned, covering his face with his arms as if his hangover was really starting to settle in.

  But not even that was enough to stop me from answering, “The chick who had you drinkin’ your little feelings away last night.”

  This time, he grunted while struggling to sit up. “Man, I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

  With the space now open, I plopped down next to him on the couch, leaning forward so that I could still see his face. And while his red, crusty eyes had me wanting to take it easy on him, him cheating me out of a good night’s sleep in Chance’s arms was more than enough to keep me fired up when I said, “Khalid, I know you think you know me, but I really know you. It was Daniella, huh? She’s still got a hold on you that I’ll never understand.”

  Just thinking about her had me rolling my eyes, especially since she was one of the few people I had ever fist-fought in my life. I mean, it was one thing for her to be jealous of the friendship between Khalid and I, but it was a whole different thing for her to be blatantly disrespectful when talking about it. And when she tried to come at me funny in the club of all places, I had no
choice but to put her in her place - by giving her these hands.

  I wasn’t sure if Khalid had ever stopped being mad at me for that night, especially since he hadn’t been there to do anything about it and had to deal with the aftermath of Daniella. But they still fucked around after the fact, something that annoyed me while also not being my situation to judge.

  Khalid was going to do whatever he wanted to do.

  “I haven’t seen Daniella in months,” he finally replied, resting his head in his hands as if that was the only way he could keep it up.

  “So it was Becky with the good hair?” I asked, once again growing annoyed since she had been another one of Khalid’s little pieces who called herself being skeptical of our friendship. But at least she kept it mostly between the two of them instead of coming at me crazy.

  This time, he turned his head towards me, his eyes tight when he sighed, “Damn. Whatever happened to Rebecca? I don’t know why we ever stopped fuckin’ around.”

  “Stay focused, Khalid,” I coached, wanting to get to the bottom of things even if it didn’t have to do with the two of them.

  But the last name I was expecting to hear - since it wasn’t one I had heard before - was, “Jayla Anthony.”

  “Jayla Anthony. Who the hell is Jayla Anthony?” I asked, running the name through my mental contact list trying to place it with a face.

  It made sense that I couldn’t match her once he answered, “She works in the building, different company than you and Chance though. Bad as hell. Stressful as fuck.”

  With that, I couldn’t help but shove him in the shoulder when I yelled, “So you’ve been in a whole ass relationship and didn’t say anything?! What kinda friend are you?”

  He wasn’t fazed by my little push, his eyes off in the distance instead as he explained, “Nah, LoLo. Just been… peepin’ game, watching her moves, seeing how she operates. And I may have had a few drinks to keep myself busy last night when I saw she was in the spot.”