by Xavier Neal
Not really high maintenance….Queen has just successfully drilled into me the importance of a first impression.
Once I’m certain I look acceptable, I slide out of my car and head for the front of the building where I’m supposed to meet my mystery woman. The unsureness of what to expect has my attention on high alert. I continuously scan the parking lot for women without the company of children, women who are somewhere over forty, and women who look highly uncomfortable at the idea of bouncing on trampolines for the next hour or two.
Why are you looking at me like that? Bouncing around is fun! Gets the endorphins running high. Heart racing. Bodies sweaty….It’s a fun way to exercise, and after I take care of her body with this work out, I’ll take care of her mind, too. I’ll listen to the shit her husband doesn’t do, or the shit her ex-husband used to do….That kind of thing. She’ll complain over smoothies, which is our next stop, and I’ll console her to the best of my ability, ensuring she gets her money’s worth. For two hundred K this date should be one that makes an impression, don’t you agree?
“Flip-flops, huh?” A voice chimes from behind me. “Guess that’s better than your tribute to NASA.”
My body can’t turn around fast enough. “Shoe girl?!”
“Syd,” the breathtaking woman states with a smile. “My name is Syd. Well, Sydney, but my friends call me, Syd. Well, the few friends I have.”
A matching wide mouth smile appears on my face.
Talk about shitty timing. I’d ask for her number right here, right now, if I wasn’t about to meet another woman at this very second. The Cosmos knows I haven’t been able to get this chick out of my head. I chalked it up to a basic missed connection moment, but there’s been this unusual nagging in the back of mind that it was more. Like so much more. But…that couldn’t be true because if it was the higher powers would’ve put us back onto the same path under better circumstances.
“You’re Chance.”
Dumbfounded over the fact I’ve been gawking at her for some unknown amount of time, I try to shake off the awe I’m stuck in, and extend my hand. “Yeah.” When we’re done shaking, I ask, “How’d you know?”
“Your friends told me.”
My eyebrows twitch in confusion. “You saw them again?”
“At the charity event.”
“You were there?!”
Her caramel complexion reddens as she confesses, “I’m your date.”
“Shut the hell up,” I mumble more to myself than her. “Seriously?”
She fidgets with the ends of her long black hair. “Seriously.”
My jaw drops though I’m unsure of how to proceed.
What are the fucking odds?! What is The Universe up to?!
“Brock, who by the way is very scary and sort of has a total rip the head off a bear one handed vibe to him, ran into me…er…I ran into him, literally, and then he mentioned how you were rambling on about not getting my number….”
This time it’s my cheeks that tint.
“So, your boss, French, who I feel might be the daughter or sister of like a mob dude…?” She cringes in confusion laced with fear. “She refused to let you miss the opportunity twice. She gave me her paddle since I’ve never seen that much money in my entire life and told me to bid whatever it took to get us this date.”
The explanation returns my smile.
Queen is a very frightening woman. Not a daughter or a sister of the mob, but sometimes I think she may be the head of a mob family….I honestly don’t know. I don’t know much about her at all other than she uses fear as her motivator and loves the fuck out of Brock. I guess all of her Princes, really. She treats us like royalty as long as we are within her employment and direct care. Her energy levels often radiate hostility, yet I believe there’s goodness in there somewhere. Somewhere deep….I mean deep. We’re talking Poseidon is probably the only other being besides her who can see it, deep. This proves it.
“Hope you’re not disappointed….” Syd sheepishly adds.
“Heaven’s no,” I practically whisper back. “This is….This is better than I could’ve imagined.”
She gives me a playful shrug. “You say that until I’m bouncing circles around you.”
The cockiness receives a light laugh. “Dream on, babe. You’re about to get out bounced.”
Syd strolls around me, spins on her heels, and calls me towards her by curling her index finger. “Come on, shoe boy, show me whatcha got.”
Another smirk slips onto my face, and I promptly follow her inside.
Can you feel that? Her energy is just…amazing. Whatever she’s emanating feels fantastic, like the flower to the sun after a long winter. I need more of that. Fuck, I want more of that. Of her….
It doesn’t take long for the young teen behind the counter to swipe my card, give us wrist bands, and explain to us to stay on the ‘Adult’s Only’ section of the trampoline complex. After we sign the waivers, I grab her by the hand and tug us towards the right side of the building. We pass by the children’s section where there are birthday parties starting and over to the sectioned off space that is practically vacant. While there are trampolines for free jump, there is also an obstacle course, netted dodgeball area, and the one I am most excited for, the basketball court.
“Where do you wanna start?” I ask as she begins removing her hot pink tennis shoes.
My eyes helplessly roam up her black yoga pants covered legs and towards her chest, where they linger on her perky tits that are trying to pop out of the lime green sports bra she’s showcasing underneath her mesh tank top. The combination of bright colors and pride in her body to wear such a revealing shirt in public causes my cock to kick.
That’s like the pinnacle of sexy to me. Being who you are, unapologetically. As a guy who gets a bunch of shit for doing things like meditating daily and baking healthy treats in my free time, it’s always nice to come across another creature that just does their own thing without care to what the rest of the world has to say.
“Pretty easy. I’m cool with whatever.”
Like skipping jumping to jump into my bed instead? Huh. Most likely not what she had in mind….
I drop my hands in front of my crotch. “Basketball is definitely my favorite here.”
Her eyebrows lift in question. “And exactly how often do you come to this place?”
With a nonchalant shrug, I reply, “Every couple of months or so. Use it as a fun way to mix up my workout routine.”
Syd’s attention drags itself down my white tank top covered chest, eyes stroking the abs she can make out through the material. A shiver runs through me as if my body can actually feel the heat of her caress.
Oh shit….I’ve heard of your spirits being able to engage in sexual connection, but it’s never happened to me before. Things with this girl just keep getting more interesting. See what I mean about The Cosmos. It always has something better up its sleeves.
She makes a hasty attempt to prevent her eyes from going lower. “Is basketball your favorite sport?”
“Yeah,” I answer on our way towards the jumping area. “Me and my bros get together every other week to play a round then grab some wings. The other weeks I host a poker game and usually pizza. Keeps us bonded and our bodies balanced.”
“How many brothers do you have?”
“Oh, they’re not my actual brothers. They’re my best friends, but they’re basically like brothers. Two of ‘em are the guys I was looking for shoes with.” She starts to climb up the stairs to the trampoline, and my eyes instinctively steal a glimpse of her ass. “I um….I have um….I um….”
Syd hits me with a mischievous smile over her shoulder.
What the hell is wrong with me? I’m always slick about that type of shit. What’s got my game off course?
I clear my throat and finish my statement. “I do have an actual older brother. Apollo.”
She doesn’t look as surprised as most people do about his name. “Like the Greek God?”
Following her actions, I take the stairs and reply, “Exactly. But he was supposedly the god of many other things as well such as healing and poetry….And when you meet Apollo you’ll see how he lives up to it.”
Did I just say when? As in not if? And even if is the wrong choice of word. Women don’t stick around my life long enough to meet my…unusual family or experience our way of life. Which I’m totally fine with. Or at least I was before now. What makes this chick so damn different? Answers from The Universe would be really fucking appreciated any time now.
“If.” I smoothly correct. “If you meet Apollo.”
Syd’s smile shifts crooked. “Kinda liked when better.”
Rather than make eye contact or agree that I do too, I snatch up the basketball waiting on the sidelines. “What about you? Any siblings?”
“Two. Twins. And one of which I happened to outbid for you.” Our stare connects again, and she snickers, “Didn’t tell her it was me though. When she was ranting online about the unholy things she wanted to do to the woman who beat her, I started to see my life flash before my eyes and felt it would be wiser to fake sympathy than take a trip to the hospital.”
We exchange a brief chuckle before taking positions.
Although I offer Syd first chance at the ball, she declines. Little to her knowledge, her passing on the easiest chance to score will most likely come back to haunt her.
I begin a slow bounce to one side. She cautiously bounces the same direction, keeping her eyes locked onto my body instead of the ball. The opportunity to deliver what should be an easy shot is taken. However, a split second after the ball is launched into the air, Syd springs upward intercepting it. Shock and awe leave me stuck in place as she races towards the net for a slam dunk.
She immediately collects the ball and smiles. “Point.”
What the hell? Is she Michael Jordan’s lost love child?!
“Do you….Do you play basketball often?”
“Not really.” The answer is proceeded with a casual shrug. “My parents always told me when I was growing up that I’m just a natural athlete. That I’m so in tuned with my body that most physical activities come very easily to me.”
I clamp down on the inside of my cheek to prevent moaning at the sexy way the proclamation sounded.
What do you want from me? I love when shit is in sync or in harmony….
“Unfortunately, I’m not very competitive, which means it all goes to waste. Talent with no real outlet.”
“You’re not competitive?”
She quickly shakes her head. “More of a giver. More of a ‘there’s enough for all’ type of person. Hell, had French and Brock not pushed me so hard to win the other night, I probably would’ve just bowed out, not because I didn’t wanna go out with you, Universe knows I wanted to go out with you, but because I hate seeing other people…unhappy.”
The words rush off my tongue before I can stop them. “You deserve to be happy, too, babe.”
Syd’s face flushes, and she crosses back over to the starting point. She motions her head for me to move and states, “My ball.”
I nod my agreement at the same time I take a defensive stance.
Her bouncing resembles the way mine began, but she skips the immediate attempt at a shot. She hastily moves to the right with me hot on each step. I keep my body maneuvering through swift motions to prevent her being able to break free. When Syd starts to bounce dramatically high, my thought is to prepare to block her shot, but instead of taking one, she dunks under my arm on her way back to the ground and bounces over to the net, scoring once more.
“Son of a bitch,” my voice practically squeaks.
Syd erupts into a fit of giggles.
“You weren’t joking.”
“Nope.”
“Gonna have to bring out my A game for this.”
“You should definitely bring out some sort of game. It’s two zip.”
Her joking jab back causes me to grow a wide grin.
I like this. My boys are always picking on or having a laugh at my expense, but this is different. I want us to have a push and pull. A give and take. A beautiful balance all our own….Can you hear my inner wolf howling again?!
She takes herself back to the starting point for us to begin again. For forty five minutes, we bounce around the court, blocking shots, slam dunking, and laughing profusely at one another’s obnoxious victory dances. Her strut around the space resembles a drunken peacock while she claims mine is something that belongs back in the disco era.
With the tie breaking point on the line, I take a hard jump knowing my best shot at winning is a three pointer since they’re my signature move. Just as the ball leaves my hand, our chests collide, and I’m knocked backwards. All the air from my lungs is vanquished the moment my head hits the trampoline.
Syd almost instantly appears over me, voice coated in panic. “Oh my stars, are you okay!?”
Another smile pops onto my face as I lift myself up onto my elbows. “You say that, too?”
She squats down and nods. “Drives my sisters crazy, but I’ve said it for so long that even my best friend, Rae, occasionally uses the phrase.”
I lightly laugh. “When I say it around my best friends I usually get a punch to the arm.”
Her face tilts simultaneously in humor and sympathy. “Aw…poor thing.”
“Eh. They don’t bruise my spirit or my body for that matter.”
“Hopefully, neither did I.”
“Doubtful, but what do you say we leave it a tie and go get a smoothie? There’s a place across the street that makes the second best ones in the whole city.”
“Second best? Who’s first?”
“Me.”
“Prove it,” Syd challenges on a snicker.
“Follow me home, and I will.”
She nods, extends her hand to help me up, and blushes a bit when I sweetly brush a loose strand from her pony tail away from her gorgeous face.
And she absolutely fucking is. Not just run of the mill beautiful, but next level, surreal type of shit I have never seen in my entire life. I’m not saying she’s going to let me worship at her alter this afternoon, but let me be absolutely clear right now; the moment she offers, I’ll be on my knees doing things those pretty brown eyes can hardly believe.
Syd giggles again at the same time I unlock the door to my luxury downtown apartment. “My car is not that bad!”
“Hazard to the environment,” I continue to tease, granting us both access inside. “I could hear that thing guzzling gas while you were following behind me. I was tempted to lean out the window and yell ‘chug chug chug’.”
She gives me a light nudge with her elbow. “I know Mable is old but-”
“Mable?” My laughter is sparked again. “You even gave her an old lady name?”
The way her cheeks rubricate tempts me to continue but also warns me to stop.
I heed the physical signal and surrender, only wanting to see her smiling in happiness not actual shame. “Don’t worry, babe. I won’t call The Lorax to come get you or anything.”
Syd’s expression warms. “That was my favorite book as a kid!”
“Mine too!”
Hey! Don’t say hippie like it’s a bad thing!
My head motions for her to follow me to the open kitchen. She takes her time behind me, attention skimming the apartment. Instead of hurrying her along, I silently watch the cycling of her reaction as her eyes circle around the room. The far wall that is home to my mounted flat screen TV as well as an array of meditation books underneath it causes her to smile. My white U-shaped couch in the center of the open living room and white marble floors seem to scrunch her face, while the dangling mini disco balls over the seating area immediately convinces her grin to stay.
Her observations continue with noting the framed artwork on the walls, all of which have to do with peace or love, yet when they land on the one near the patio doors, she excitedly points. “I have that exact same com
bination of Japanese symbols!”
I finally start to head towards the kitchen. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah! My dad bought it for me when I was a little girl. He loved our home being a mixture of his culture and Mom’s. Our entire house was an ode to the meshing of their love….” She hums to herself before she adds, “Almost anyway. My sisters were not big into their rooms looking like that. They were bigger fans of pink…and music posters…and fuzzy things like their hideous throw pillows.”
Syd starts my direction, which is when I ask, “So, you’re half Japanese?”
“Yes.”
Explains the creamy color of skin and hints of beauty I couldn’t pin point….
“Can you speak it?”
“Hijō ni sukunai.”
My dick threatens to stand at attention from the delicious way her mouth moves and the new sounds that grace my ears.
She holds up her fingers pinched together. “Very little.”
I nod, turn, and casually adjust myself. “The little I heard was amazing….” Rather than dwell on a topic that could risk my cock getting harder, I inquire, “Are you allergic to anything?”
“Nope.”
Opening the fridge, I immediately grab the almond milk. “Since I have to head to work after this, I’m going to make us one of my more carb friendly smoothies. Sound good?”
“Sounds great.” While I busy myself around the kitchen, Syd hops up onto the white counter space near the sink. “What do you do for a living?”
There’s no hesitation in my casual reply. “I’m a stripper.”
Of course I’m not ashamed of what I do. I love being naked. Why not get paid for it?
My eyes meet hers as I place down the collected ingredients on the opposite side of the sink from where she’s sitting. “Does that bother you?”
“Is it your choice or are you doing it so French doesn’t kill your family or something equally as terrifying?”
I helplessly smirk. “Choice.”
“Then not at all.”
The response surprises me though I don’t say it.
Most women have a very different, very unpleasant reaction when they find out what I do. But I never lie about it. That goes against what I stand for and is just naturally shitty Karma.