by J Peach
I need to get the hell away from him.
“Let me go.” He didn’t, instead his grip tightened in my hair before tilting my head back. “Blaze, let me the fuck go.”
“Nall, I think I’ma chill with you today. What you think?” I’d have be lying if I said his persistence wasn’t a turn on, because it most definitely was.
“I think you should let me go.” Blaze let my hair go, but didn’t move back. Not being able to hold my uninterested façade any longer, I bit into my bottom lip as I diverted my eyes away from his. Taking hold of my chin, he brought our gazes back together. Rolling my eyes, I let out a small laugh. “Fine, you can buy me dinner. Now can you move back?” He didn’t budge. “Please, can you move back?”
“You got me?” My brows furrowed in confusion at that. His eyes dropped down and mine followed only to see I did have him. My hands had fisted the sides of his shirt, holding tightly.
“Oh, right. Um, yeah…” Trailing off, I laughed. Letting him go, I pushed him back. “Just move, I’ll be done in a minute.” Blaze grabbed my ass as I walked around him. “Don’t make me slap the shit outda you.” He laughed while picking up the shoes that we dropped. “Excuse me, can I get these in a size six, please?” I asked, holding out the cream colored shoe. The lady gave me a smile as she glanced over at Blaze. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but decided to keep it to herself.
“I’ll be right back.”
“You got people looking at me funny?” I said to Blaze, sitting next to him and then pulling off the lavender boots.
“How the hell I got folks looking at you funny when you the one pulling on me?”
I wanted to hit him with the boot, but thought better of it. “I wasn’t pulling on you.” His raised brow had me laughing and changing the subject. “What happened that you and King parted ways? Had a fight?” Crossing my legs, I turned to face him. Reaching in his pocket, Blaze pulled out a cigarette, putting it to his lips. “You can’t smoke in here.” Ignoring me, he pulled out a lighter and lit it.
“Where you see a sign saying that?” I pointed toward the window and Blaze glanced over before shrugging. “I didn’t see that. King and I don’t be together all the time. Shid, we both got jobs to do. What King do to piss you off? I’ll beat his ass for you, just say the word.” Blaze’s offer was tempting as hell.
“I’ll hold you to that one day. King is just being his overprotective self is all, it’s nothing I can’t handle.” That was a lie, already knowing the thing that happened with Chase I was gon’ let go like I really had a choice in the matter. “You know if King finds out I’m with you its gon’ be a fight, right?” Blaze didn’t seem bothered about my revelation.
“I ain’t fuck’d up about King, I told you that. You shouldn’t worry about that shit either because regardless of what he saying, you got.” That had a laugh slipping through my lips as well as a smile forming.
“I’m got? What does that even mean?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“You got? Oh yeah, um, yo language, shit,” again I laughed at the thoughtful look that came to his face, My language? “Taken, involved, spoken for, claimed, um… In a relationship. Either one of those words you wanna use is what you are.” My mouth formed into an O and I slowly nodded.
“Right. Well, that’s a problem because I don’t date hoods.” With that, I picked up the shoe boxes and headed toward the register as I noticed the woman coming from the back.
“What you mean, baby girl? This faith.” Glancing back at Blaze, I started laughing again.
“Faith? Really? How so?” Taking off his Pacer’s snapback, Blaze ran a hand over his deep ocean waves.
“Shid, I don’t know, but when I figure it out I’ll tell you.”
Again I found myself laughing. “You funny. I didn’t peg you for the type to have a sense of humor.” He was making me laugh, which was always a plus in my book. A hood without a sense of humor was the worst kind, but I could play his game for the time being.
“Your total is four hundred fifteen dollars.” Damn! Mumbling to myself, I searched my wallet for my credit card.
“I need to stop coming in here, y’all gon’ break me,” I joked with the sales clerk.
“Girl, that’s why I’m happy I work here. The shoes are so cute and with my thirty percent discount I go crazy. Given I just started here a few weeks ago, my closet is full.” Laughing, I rolled my eyes as well as shook my head in understanding.
“Just as mine is. It’s so bad I have to use my guestroom closet, but that’s almost full. My ass needs to go rent a storage room.”
“Here, I got it,” Blaze suddenly said, reaching over me. Seeing him holding out money, I grabbed his wrist before the lady could take it. “What the hell you doing?” He asked, snatching his wrist from my hold.
“I can pay for myself, but thanks.” Finding my card, I slid it to her and just as I had done him, he did the same to me.
“It ain’t shit, I got you.” Taking his money from his hand, I put it in my pocket.
“Thanks, you can charge my card,” I said, smiling at the lady before glancing at Blaze. “We can use this for dinner.”
“You have ID?” Nodding, I grabbed my license, then handed it to her. “Peaches?” She said it as a question, looking up at me.
“Yep,” I replied as she handed it back after looking at it.
“I’m Monica.” The edgy tone in her introduction was as if I was supposed to know who she was. Ignoring the edgy tone, I grabbed my card from her.
“It was nice meeting you, Monica.” Taking my bags from the counter I turned, almost running into Blaze. “Would you stop that? Damn.” Blaze just licked his lips, not moving. “Are you just going to stand there looking crazy, or move out the way?” Stepping aside, Blaze let me walk past him.
“I could’ve paid for yo shit.”
“So could I, which I did. I’m no leeching bitch, baby, I have my own,” I started saying until Blaze’s laugh cut my words short. “What’s funny?”
“You have your own or does King have you on an allowance.”
My legs stopped moving and I looked at him, feeling hella insulted. “Nall, Daddy, King don’t have me on shit, I work for mine.”
“Fuckin’ yo boss is considered working for yours, huh? I guess you do gotda put in some work, don’t you?” The palm of my hand shot out so fast that I tried to slap his cheek from his face. But the son of a bitch caught my wrist. “Nall, sweetheart. I don’t play that hitting shit. Why you getting mad for? I’m just asking questions.”
Snatching my wrist from his hold I held out my hand. “Give me my phone so I can go fuck my boss for a check. Pretty sure he can drop more than four-fifteen, and that’s just to eat my pussy.” That was a lie, Sly didn’t have to pay. Hell, I didn’t charge, but Blaze didn’t have to know that.
“I’m gon’ ignore that bullshit you spittin’ because you mad. So now you don’t wanna eat?” He asked.
With my hand still held out, I shook my head. “Daddy, you don’t have to ignore it. And I’m gon’ eat regardless of the bullshit that comes out yo mouth. If you follow then you can join me, if not, oh well. Now can I have my phone?” Grabbing my bags from my hands, Blaze turned and started walking away. “Blaze?”
Turning to face me while walking backwards, he started talking. “You want yo shit, get in the truck. I ain’t gon’ wait for yo ass though, I’m hungry as hell.” Why I laughed was beyond me. Blaze was most definitely persistent. “You gon’ stand there or get yo ass in the truck? I told you I’m hungry.”
“You know you’re rude as hell, right?”
Laughing, he tossed my bags in his trunk then closed it before replying back.
“I never claimed I wasn’t.” With that he started walking toward the driver’s side.
“You not gon’ open my door?” Stopping, Blaze looked at me with a raised brow.
“What the fuck wrong with yo hands?” That was exactly why I didn’t mess with hoods, rude as mothafuckas. Eve
n so, Blaze’s rudeness was sexy. That was the only reason I walked my ass to his truck and got in.
CHAPTER 9
“We didn’t live too far from here.” Pointing out of the window of the Denny’s, to 31st and Grant, I began giving Blaze instructions to where my parent’s house used to be. “Straight up this street until you get to 21st and Grant, then keep straight until you hit Martin Luther King Dr. After that go straight down until you get to the stop light. Then make a right on Mississippi. We lived in the third house from the corner,” I explained as I took a bite out of my taco.
“Here I thought you were an uptown preppy girl,” Blaze replied, making me shake my head.
“Nuh uh. Why would you think that if King’s my brother?”
Shrugging he grabbed his cup taking a drink. “Shid, I figured y’all had different mommas. You just don’t seem like you from this part of town. Shid, if you was on Mississippi St., y’all were basically in the heart of the hood. Mississippi sit right in the middle of Delaney and Dorie Miller. Hell, Mississippi St. is Dorie Miller.” Nodding my head, I showed my agreement.
He was right, where we used to live was in the cross fire of everything that went on between the rivaling gangs from both sets. Delaney wasn’t that close to where we lived, but the worst part of Dorie Miller was.
Delaney and Dorie Miller were one of the worse projects out there. The gangs from the two projects always found some dumb shit to beef about, and given police hardly came out to deal with crimes, killers, prostitutes, and drug dealers felt they had no rules and did what they wanted. As a result of there being less police, there were more dealers, pimps, and crack heads to have free reign to do as pleased. So the traffic was nonstop. Even though we were up the street from the projects, where we lived was still considered middle class.
Wiping my mouth, I glanced up at him, still nodding my head.
“Yep, it was bad, but it wasn’t.” Grabbing a Tostito chip and dipping it in the salsa, I took a bite then pointed the other half toward Blaze. “And how does someone from these parts of town act exactly?” Taking the chip out of my hand he ate it. Laughing, I rolled my eyes at him.
“You laugh a lot, why is that?” Blaze asked, placing his elbows on the table and staring at me intensely, which had me looking away from him. “I know I ain’t that gotdamn funny. Shid, let me in on what got those garage size dimples in yo cheeks.”
Again, I laughed. “I’m always laughing about something, it’s a disorder,” Blaze started laughing. “So don’t think it’s you even though you’re kind of funny.” Blaze laughed, but his full stare said he wasn’t buying the lie I was telling. His stare caused that giddy feeling to form in the pit of my stomach once again. Looking away from him, I grabbed my ice tea and took a drink, trying to rid myself of that feeling. “So how old are you?” The giddiness wasn’t leaving so I chose to change the subject instead.
“Thirty,” he answered simply as his eyes followed some chick who walked past, making me roll mine. Typical nigga.
“And you from around here?”
Looking back at me, he nodded. “Yep, right up the block. What you laughing fah?”
“No reason, up the block. If so, I guess the faith Gods didn’t want us to meet until now, huh?”
Licking his lips, Blaze laughed. “I was just thinkin’ that shit. I mean I’m always around these parts, beside the two years I was locked up, and not nann time did we clash.”
If it was up to my dad and then King, I would never have met any niggas they dealt with. Mike and Leon didn’t count because we all used to live on the same street.
“If it wasn’t for that night at the club, I’m pretty sure we still wouldn’t have met.”
“That’s why I’m saying its faith. So you need to stop playing and come on home with me.”
Covering my mouth, I laughed again. “You are too much. No, I’m not going home with you.” Wiping my mouth and then taking a drink from my tea, I pushed away from the table. “I have to go to the bathroom. Once I come back I’ll be ready. Here,” pulling his money from my pocket I slid it to him before reaching in my wallet and taking out a twenty. “This’s for my food, you can keep the change if you want. I’ll be back.” Blaze opened his mouth to say something, but I turned walking away from him.
Once in the restroom, I went to the first stall, quickly handing my business and then leaving out to wash my hands.
“That sink doesn’t work,” a chick that looked to be around my age stated. While washing her own hands she pointed to the sink I was standing in front of.
“Oh, okay. Thanks,” giving her a small smile and a nod, I went to the one next to hers.
“Lost your way, baby?” My brows furrowed hearing the woman say that. Thinking she’s talking to me, I looked at her only to find she was staring in the opposite direction. At Blaze.
“Nall, I didn’t,” he responded, staring at me.
Glancing my way, she rolled her eyes, seeming to take an attitude. “Well you do know this ladies bathroom, right?”
“Bitch, shut the fuck up and get out if you done. Yo ass do know the men’s bathroom right next door, right?” My mouth was wide open from his reply.
“Nigga, who in the fuck is you talking to?” She bucked up, walking up to that man like she was straight ‘bout to whoop his ass.
“Whoa, whoa,” I tried saying, only to have Blaze’s voice overthrow mine.
“Bitch, I’m talking to yo tack headed ass. Now get the fuck out!” Pulling me out the way, Blaze opened the door.
“Rude ass mothafuckin’ nigga,” she fussed while walking out the bathroom. I halfway couldn’t blame her for walking away given she started it. But ain’t no way this nigga would’ve spit that shit at me and I walked off.
Once the door was closed Blaze turned me to face him.
“You ain’t even—” I was telling him, but his mouth coming down on mine shut me up and had my body stiffening. My entire being felt that giddy feeling running through it as my mind screamed at me to kiss him back.
Blaze continuously sucked and nipped at my bottom lip until I started to respond. My hands gripped the front of his shirt and tilting my head to the side, I kissed him. Taking hold of my thighs, Blaze picked me up and my legs instinctively locked around his waist as my back hit the door.
The door locking sounded like a deadbolt clicking hard.
Oh Shit!
The feel of his hard member pressing into my sex had me moaning into his mouth and grinding my contracting pussy more on it.
Dammit, I need to stop!
Blaze hips pushed up meeting my rolling ones.
But it feels so good.
Moving from the door, Blaze went to the counter, sitting me on top then pushing me back. His hands made quick work with the three buttons on my skinny jeans. Once undone, he grabbed the side of my pants.
“Blaze wait,” grabbing his wrist, I stopped him. “We—” one of Blaze’s wrists was snatched out my grip as a look of frustration covered his face.
“Fuckin bitch, damn!” He cussed, pissing me off as he looked at his waist.
“Nigga, fuck you! I don’t know why the fuck you getting pissed for, you the stupid mothafucka if you thought I was really gon fuck you in this bathroom. You stupid son of bitch.” The words flew from my mouth before I realized it, but I wasn’t gon’ take them back just because he was pissed. I stopped him.
“What the fuck is yo stupid ass talkin ‘bout?” He asked, looking genuinely confused.
“I’m not stupid, you’re the dumb mothafucka that’s getting pissed.” Blaze suddenly turned away from me and answered his ringing phone.
“Yo?” He spoke with his phone to his ear. This nigga is rude as fuck. “What the fuck?” Blaze snapped, rubbing his head before sighing. “Give me bout fifteen minutes, I’ll be there. I’ight.” He ended the call then looked back at me with a crease in the middle of his forehead. “Now what the fuck is you goin’ on about?” Rolling my eyes at him, I hopped off the counter and fi
xed the buttons on my pants. “Yo, kill that shit right there. What the fuck was you yelling ‘bout?” He asked while grabbing my arm, pulling me back toward him.
“You the one who got pissed about me telling you to wait.” Blaze’s hand soon came to my head, his fingers pressed against my forehead, pushing my head back as he muffed me. “Keep yo damn hands out my face.” I asked, slapping his arm.
“I didn’t get pissed at you, but at the mothafucka who paged me.” Pulling a black pager from his waist he showed it to me. Reading the twenty-six on it, I felt embarrassed about my reaction. “Before you get to talkin ‘bout my hoes, this is business. One of my little niggas need me to come through real quick. So lose that fuck ass attitude you got,” Blaze said, walking past me to the first stall and using the bathroom. Once he finished he came back out then washed his hands before we left the restroom. “Now you can’t talk?”
“Whatever, I don’t have an attitude. But I need to get my ass home anyway. I got homework I need to finish,” I stated, releasing a heavy sigh.
In all honesty I wanted to get as far away from him as possible for the simple fact that the unknown giddy feeling was starting to become known once again. I hadn’t felt that way since I was fifteen and I wasn’t ready for the emotions that came with that giddiness.
“Don’t think this over, we gon’ finish this shit, believe that,” Blaze said, getting in the truck. “I don’t know why the fuck you smacking yo lips for, I’m dead ass serious.” Glancing at him, I started laughing seeing that he was already staring at me.
“Nigga, whatever. This ain’t that, I barely know you.”
“That ain’t got shit to do with nothing. We gon’ finish this. What time yo class over with?” The seriousness in his tone had me laughing. I was not fuckin him and if he thought otherwise he was going to be very disappointed. I didn’t save myself for twenty-four years only to lose my virginity to a damn hood, fuck that.
Even so, I answered his question.
“My class over at nine-thirty, but I gotda be at work right after. Before you ask, I work from ten to five and then I have to be back at school for my class that starts at five-thirty. And I don’t get out of there until eight.”