Imperfect

by Ari Reavis

  “Exactly. I want kids to have fun in my class. We can learn and still make it enjoyable. I think kids learn better that way to be honest.”

  “Are you nervous?”

  “So nervous.” She chuckles. “What if they just hate me? I picture them sitting around at recess plotting to leave bugs on my chair or something to run me out of the classroom.”

  I laugh. “They’re gonna love you. You pass out a couple of stickers, give them some homework free nights, and you’ve got this in the bag.”

  The waitress returns with dessert, and Mariah is quick to carve out a teeny tiny piece of the brownie and put it on the plate with my slice of cake on it.

  “Enjoy.”

  I give a shocked laugh. “Oh, it’s like that?”

  “I could be persuaded to give you a little more.”

  “Tell me what I have to do.”

  “A kiss,” she states, and my heart speeds up. “Right here.”

  She points to her right cheek, and I smile as I get out of my chair, leaning forward to bring my lips to her skin. I can feel her cheek rise under my lips with her own smile before I back away. As I sit back down, she cuts me a bigger portion of the brownie.

  “Thank you.” I chuckle.

  “I’m just generous like that.” She winks.

  We finish and I pay before helping Mariah stand from her seat. Once we’re in the car, I find myself driving slowly, still not quite ready for this night to be over, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

  “Can I see you again next week?” I ask as we turn onto her street.

  She smirks. “I’ll have to check my schedule. See if I can pencil you in. But, if you’re bringing me somewhere as nice as the restaurant we just left, I think I can find a little time for you.”

  “Not a lot of time?”

  “Hmm, we’ll have to wait and see.”

  “You’re gonna make this hard for me, huh?”

  “Nothing worth having is easy to get.”

  My eyes cut to her. “Truth.”

  When we reach her house, I walk her to the door and after she unlocks it, she turns and faces me.

  “This was quite the date, even if my last one hadn’t happened.” She smiles.

  “Why, thank you. I don’t think I had to try too hard after that guy, but thanks anyway.”

  “Now let me think”—she puts her finger to her chin—“how do perfect dates end?”

  I grin, stepping closer to her. She tips her head back, waiting for my next move. I don’t waste another second before I bring my lips to hers. They’re perfect, soft, and warm as they move against mine. When her hands fist in my shirt, pulling me in more, I stroke the tip of my tongue between her lips. Another shiver and she opens for me.

  If I thought her lips were paradise, then her tongue sliding against mine is heaven. She moans when my hands go to her hips, and I circle her tongue with my own. When we both need air, I place one last kiss to her lips and back up, but she doesn’t let me go far. She keeps her hold of my shirt, looking up at me until I bring my forehead to hers. She lets out a shuddering breath.

  “Wow.”

  I chuckle. “That about sums it up.”

  “Call me tomorrow,” she says before opening her door and stepping inside.

  “More like call you later.”

  “That works too.”

  Chapter 3

  “Thank you for helping me,” I say while the cashier hands me my fifth bag full of school supplies.

  “No problem.” She smiles. “Always happy to help someone make a great classroom. What grade will you be teaching?”

  “First. At Roosevelt.

  “Oh.” Her eyes widen.

  “What?” I chuckle, but even I can hear the anxiousness in it.

  “Nothing. I uh...I substitute sometimes and... Well, just don’t show fear.”

  I stare at her for a second, waiting for her to tell me she’s joking. When she only nods her head, I give a nervous smile before saying goodbye. Tossing the bags in the back seat before getting into the car, I take off for somewhere to eat lunch. Now that I’ve gotten everything unpacked and have settled into my house, I told myself I would start exploring the town more. I turn off the main street to a side street near the school.

  I pass a construction site, and a small smile comes to my face when it reminds me of Damir. We’ve been talking every day since our date. I keep telling my dumb heart to slow it down, but it just keeps on making me think of Damir every chance it gets.

  I spot a restaurant to eat at, but have to make a U-turn and park a long walk away. Walking past the construction site, I get a few catcalls, but roll my eyes, and put up the middle finger while I pass them, much to their amusement. You’d think they have something better to do. I can’t picture Damir sitting around wasting time being a creep when there’s work to be done.

  I eat a good grilled chicken salad before making my way back to the car. The catcalls are louder this time, but they’re cut off by a deep voice shouting over their nonsense.

  “Knock that shit off! You know I don’t tolerate that on my site.”

  I know that voice, it’s been in my ear every day for the last few days. Turning around, I see Damir shaking his head at the workers.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he says, then turns around and looks at me.

  Shock blooms across his face before it eases into a wide smile.

  “Mariah. This is unexpected.”

  “I just had lunch at a restaurant down the street. It’s funny, when I passed the site, I thought of you, and here you are.”

  “Here I am.” He grins. “The site where I definitely don’t let my guys catcall women.”

  His eyes cut to said men, and he levels them with a stare. They all suddenly have work to do, shuffling away from where they were sitting.

  “I’ll show you around, if you have time.”

  I nod, and he shows me the floorplans as we walk around the huge plot of land.

  “What used to be here?” I ask.

  “A factory that made car parts, I think. It was abandoned for years.”

  “How many apartments will there be altogether?”

  “One hundred and twenty. Twelve in each building. Two and three bedrooms.”

  “Nice.”

  He shows me the plans for the project. I cannot even begin trying to figure out where to start with building something of this magnitude. To take the dirt that we now stand on and build it up into so many buildings, apartments, even the pool, park, and small movie theater that the plans show the complex will have.

  “I’m impressed,” I say as we begin the walk back to my car. “I can’t wait to see it once it’s all done. I might even ditch my house and get one of these apartments. Take advantage of all these amenities I see it’s gonna have.”

  “You’re not the only one.” He chuckles. “The developer was telling me they’re even gonna have people who will come and get your laundry from your apartment, cleaning services for the tenants, and half of the pool house will be a kids’ club. He’s going all out. The rent will probably be astronomical, but it sounds like it’ll be worth it.”

  “Whew. Astronomical rent and a teacher’s salary do not mix.”

  He laughs. “No? I would imagine they pay teachers a good amount, considering you guys are literally shaping young minds.”

  I give him an exasperated face. “I just came from spending $400 for classroom supplies because the school doesn’t compensate teachers for what they buy for their classrooms.”

  “You’re kidding me.”

  “I wish.”

  “That’s ridiculous. I hope that four hundred got you everything you need.”

  “Just about. That’s where I’m headed now, to bring the supplies to my classroom and set everything up the way I want it to be.”

  His smile at the mention of my classroom is everything. It just goes to show his questions about it and interest in it over the past few days has been genuine. He can’t know how much that mea
ns to me.

  “You have to send me some pictures of how you set up your classroom,” he says as we reach my car. “Or better yet, how about you show me the pictures of it later tonight? I know we’re supposed to go out later on this week, but you’re looking way too good for me not to ask you out right now.”

  I grin. “Well... I guess I could let you take a girl out. You know, for the sake of the pictures. What time?”

  “Around seven. Give me time to go home and shower before I head your way.”

  “Sounds good to me. Where do you wanna go?”

  “A restaurant I’m pretty sure you’re gonna love.”

  I shrug. “Good food and a sexy man. Who would turn that down?”

  When I get to the school, I find a few other teachers there. I met most of them at the school meeting two weeks ago and wave at the ones I pass as they clean and organize their own classrooms. I reach my room and am hit with a sense of awe when I walk inside. Seeing my name on the door, a classroom that is mine, where students will come to learn from me each day.

  I run my fingers along the small desks on the right side of the room as I walk towards my desk, large and dark brown. Placing the bags on top of it, I begin to unpack the supplies I brought from the store. I look for somewhere to hide the gifts I got for each of the twenty-one kids, to make a game of it on the first day of school, hoping it helps to relieve any first day anxiety they may have.

  After hiding the last gift, I rearrange the desks into an open circle, so everyone will be able to see each other, then I write each kids’ name on a place card with bright markers, so they’ll know where to sit. I hang up a few silly but encouraging signs and organize my own supplies in my desk before leaving.

  By the time I get home, I have an hour before Damir should get here. I hurry to shower, rushing around my bedroom in my towel when I get out so I can pick out an outfit. Once I have my dress on, I sit to do my hair, just finishing when Damir rings my bell. I only need to grab a light jacket before meeting him at the door. His gorgeous smile greets me, along with another flower. A red rose this time. I keep it in my hand as I lock up, and we walk to his car.

  He looks over my light pink dress and black heels when I get into the car, licking his lips as he walks around to his side.

  “You look beautiful,” he says as he begins driving.

  “Thank you. You’re looking handsome yourself.”

  He links his hand with mine, bringing the back of it to his lips. “Just trying to look good enough to stand next to you.”

  He drives us to a soul food restaurant a town over, opening my door after parking half a block down. We have to wait a little over ten minutes for our seats, but as we’re shown to our table, just the smells alone tell me that wait will have been worth it.

  “Have you ever had soul food before?” he asks when we’re seated.

  “Are you asking that because I’m not black?” I arch a brow.

  “I’m asking because since this is the only one around here, I know it’s not very popular. So I thought maybe you hadn’t eaten it.”

  “Oh, well... Yes, I have. Not much, but I have had some.”

  He chuckles. “Well, it’s my favorite, and you must love it. It’s almost all my mom cooked growing up. What are you anyway?” he inquires. “I’ve been trying to figure it out.”

  “I’m white and Dominican. Dad and Mom, respectively.”

  He nods as the waiter comes over. I let Damir order for me, and he assures I’ll love whatever they bring. We talk while we wait for the food, me admiring his smile and how easily it comes, how he’s so relaxed and sure of himself. I love confidence on a man. He uses his hands while he talks, and I have to suppress thoughts of what it’ll feel like when I finally have those hands on me.

  When they bring our plates back, mine is placed in front of me; fried chicken, collard greens, and rice with black eyed peas. Damir has oxtails, macaroni and cheese, and yams. No words are spoken for a while as we go to town on our dinners. He definitely was not wrong. This is amazing.

  After we’re done, we head back to my place, and this time, I invite him in. I demand he turns off his construction brain long enough for me to give him a brief tour. We go from room to room until we end up right where I want us to be, my bedroom.

  “Are you seriously checking out my roof right now?” I laugh.

  “Sorry. I can’t help it.” He grins.

  I sigh dramatically. “And here I thought you’d be thinking about me, in this bed.”

  His eyes snap to mine then, lust burning in them. “Oh, it definitely crossed my mind. Don’t doubt that.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?”

  The words are no sooner out of my mouth before he pulls me closer to him and brings his lips to mine. Just like before, his lips fit perfectly against mine, but this time, there’s a desperation to them, a need to get as much of me as possible. The tip of his tongue caresses my top lip, and I moan while opening for him. When his tongue enters my mouth, I can’t help the shiver that rakes through me.

  “God, those shivers are going to kill me,” he says against my lips.

  “Undress me.” I breathe.

  He turns me around and unzips my dress, pushing the sleeves down my arms until my top half is covered by nothing but my bra. When I hear his quick intake of breath, I know he’s seen my tattoo. He pushes my hair to the side, and undoes my bra so I can let it drop to the floor. His fingertips trace the outline of the butterfly on my back, the whisper of his touch beginning at the tips of the wings that cover my shoulder blades, while the bottom of them stop just before my hips. He trails his fingers down my spine, along the butterfly’s body, making me shiver again, and causing him to groan. When he runs his hands down my back, their roughness sends heat straight to my pussy.

  He works my dress past my hips, kissing the base of my neck after it pools on the floor. The moment I step out of the circle of fabric, he spins me around, and picks me up with his arms under my ass. He walks us over to the bed and bends down to lay me across the sheets before his lips meet mine again and again while his hands trails down my stomach to my panties.

  At first, he touches me through the fabric, stroking along my clit while his tongue circles mine. I’m panting by the time he finally moves away and begins dragging my panties down my legs. He slowly kisses his way back up my legs until he reaches my inner thighs. I jump when he bites the skin there, but he quickly erases the pain with a press of his lips.

  His first lick makes every muscle in my stomach clench. He circles my clit before sucking it into his mouth, making a moan escape me at the pleasure building inside me. His hands spread my thighs wider as his tongue slides through my lips to my opening. He teases me for a while, making my body arch, trying to meet his mouth harder, until he chuckles against me and thrusts his tongue inside me.

  His tongue slides in and out of me and as his finger rubs roughly against my clit, I explode, grabbing his head and keeping it close to me. When his finger becomes too much on my clit, I try and move away, but he doesn’t let me; his hand tightening on my thigh to keep me right where I am. His tongue leaves me, and his hold loosens. Now I’m just too sated to move, but when I hear his belt being unbuckled, I pick my head up to watch him undress.

  His shirt is already off, discarded on the floor, letting me look over his muscled chest until my eyes fall to where his zipper is lowering. I finally move as he takes his jeans off, needing to get my hands on him. His dick is straining in his boxer briefs and when I reach into them and wrap my hand around it, he groans. I stroke up and down his dick, the skin smooth and hard in my hand, until I drop to my knees.

  I bring his boxer briefs down, and he steps out of them. His hand trails down the side of my face when I look up at him, my mouth inching closer to him. My tongue comes out and lightly licks the tip, making him shudder. He looks down at me with half lidded eyes while I circle my tongue around the head. When I suck him into my mouth, his eyes close altogether.

&n
bsp; His hand moves to my hair, and I start to bob my head up and down on him, sucking harder. I swipe my tongue from side to side along the underside of his dick, feeling his thighs twitch beneath my hands each time I do. When his other hand goes to my neck, I moan around his dick, loving the feeling of the pressure he puts against my throat. He uses my hair to draw my head back until he slips out of my mouth, reaching down to get a condom out of his pants’ pocket.

  I walk over to the bed, but when I go to lay down, he stops me and lowers himself to the sheets instead. Biting my lip in anticipation, I straddle him and reach down to line him up with my opening. I slide down on him slowly, hissing as he stretches me. Once every inch of him is inside me, I look down at him, and find him staring back at me.

  “You look beautiful,” he says low.

  “You feel beautiful.” I smile.

  His hands come up and cover my breasts when I begin rising and falling on him. The rough skin scraping against my nipples makes a breathy sigh leave my mouth. Every nerve inside me is hit as his dick slides into me until I have to speed up and chase the orgasm I know will rock me. He sits up and sucks my nipple into his mouth while his hands go to my ass, gripping so tightly I’m sure it’ll leave marks.

  My arms wrap around his neck and when he gives a brutal thrust up into me, I come with a gasp, spasming around his dick, slamming down harder to prolong my climax. When my head falls back in bliss, he bites at my neck, sucking and licking as I come down. He wraps his arms around my waist and holds me to him, grinding our bodies together while our mouths meet. Our tongues clash with each other’s as my clit rubs against him, my breasts rubbing against his chest. He begins groaning, his hold getting tighter on me. His face nestles in my neck when he comes, giving me a few more rough, shallow thrusts before he stops.

  He drops back down to the bed, and I rise up so he can slide out of me and take the condom off. Once he’s dropped it to the floor, I lean forward, laying my head on his shoulder while we both catch our breath. His hands caress up and down my spine, then outwards, and I know he’s tracing the lines of my tattoo again.

  “Why a butterfly?” he asks after a while.