Love Me Through the Rain

by A'zayler

  “Who am I Dakota?”

  “You’re my Goddess, and the only person I want to spend all my time with.”

  Rain ran her hands through his hair and kissed his lips. She didn’t say anything; she just looked at him before snuggling closer to his neck.

  “Hold me tighter Kota.”

  He squeezed his tattoo-filled arms around her and drifted off to sleep behind her. When they woke up later that day it was almost three o’clock in the afternoon. He woke up first. She was still asleep with her arms and legs thrown across his body. He scarf had fallen off and her mouth was partly open. Love laughed at the little whistling sound she made as she slept. His li’l boo was tired. Instead of waking her he decided to let her sleep. He slid out of bed and went to take a shower. When he got out he grabbed his phone and went to sit in the living room. Her notebook and computer were still on the couch open. He didn’t know if she would mind him reading her story but he wanted to. If she got mad then oh well, she’d just have to get over it. Love picked up the purple composition notebook first and read the notes she’d scribbled down. He read the outline of the book she was working on now. Almost all of her pages were filled front and back and she even had notes in the margins. It was one in particular that had him holding the notebook up closer to his face to make sure he was reading it right.

  Loving Dakota can’t be that bad…right?

  He knew it! That’s what he’d seen in her eyes. He read that little passage over and over until he felt himself smiling. She was actually considering loving him. He read it a few more times before taking his phone out and snapping a picture of it. He tried to put it in the spot she’d left it in before grabbing her computer. He slouched down some on the sofa before scrolling to the top of her document to chapter one. Once he started it was hard to stop. Each chapter sucked him in deeper than the first.

  “You do know it’s rude to invade other people’s privacy, right?”

  Love looked up to see Rain walking down the stairs.

  “I told you I wanted to read your books.”

  “I meant read the ones I give you, not the ones you take it upon yourself to steal.”

  Rain walked over to him and closed her notebook. She grabbed her pen and computer next. She sat it all on the coffee table before straddling his lap. She shifted until she was comfortable. He rested his hands on both side of her hips.

  “You read my notes?”

  Love shook his head no.

  “Yes you did, you liar.”

  “Well if you know so much, why you ask?”

  Rain covered her face with her hands only for him to pull them right back down.

  “What you tripping for? You don’t have to be embarrassed in front of me.”

  “Yes I do.”

  “No you don’t.” Love kissed her neck. “You in good hands baby doll. Remember that.”

  “We’ll see.” She got off his lap and walked into the kitchen. When she came back she had a bottle of water and a cereal bar. “I’m hungry. Let’s go get some food.”

  She was smacking on her cereal bar hard as hell.

  “Yeah let me feed you because that cereal bar ain’t got a chance,” He said and they both laughed.

  Once they were both dressed they left her apartment and went to Longhorn. Rain wanted a steak so of course that’s what they were getting. They chose to go to the new one because it was always less crowded than the old one. The booth in the corner that they’d been seated in gave a view of pretty much the entire restaurant. They ordered their food and were deep in conversation when some chick he used to fuck with walked over to their table.

  “Hey Love,” she said in a tone that let him know there was about to be trouble.

  “What’s up shawty?”

  “I ain’t been seeing you around. What’s been up?” she asked, blatantly ignoring Rain.

  Dakota didn’t have anything against the girl, but she was being rude as fuck, talking to him like he wasn’t on a date.

  “Just chilling. You know me,” he said looking over at Rain.

  She was looking through the menu like she didn’t have a care in the world. The look on her face and her posture were completely unaffected. You would have never known she was on a date with her man, with a jump-off at their table.

  “I see. It looks like you’ve been caked up to me.”

  This got Rain’s attention. She looked up at the girl but still didn’t say anything. She just looked her up and down. She even leaned over to take a look at the girl’s shoes. When she sat back up she was shaking her head.

  “May I ask why you’re shaking your head?”

  “No you may not.” Rain’s fake response was hilarious as hell.

  Dakota didn’t want to be immature but the shit was funny as fuck. He laughed, pissing the girl off further.

  “So that’s how you do Love? You fronting on me now?”

  “You the one came over here on that hot shit.”

  “You know what, fuck you. Don’t hit my line when you lonely.” She stormed away from the table.

  Dakota looked at Rain. She was reading the menu with her eyebrows raised.

  “I know you got something smart to say so go ahead.”

  “Who me?” Rain faked ignorance.

  “Who else?”

  “No I don’t actually. I can’t take that ho serious. She came over here interrupting our lunch in some Payless heels. Clearly she doesn’t care about life.”

  Dakota laughed. He was relieved that she wasn’t mad. He hadn’t seen her mad yet and he didn’t want to. A short while later the waitress brought their food over. Rain licked her lips as she eyed the steak and shrimp on her plate.

  “You gon’ eat all of that?”

  Rain looked at him like he was crazy. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”

  “You eat so much to be so small.”

  “It’s been that way my whole life.” Rain shrugged her shoulders. “Oh well.”

  “I like your size. It’s perfect for me.”

  He took a bite out of the rib he was holding and watched her. She looked up at him before twisting her mouth to the side and squinting her eyes.

  “You trying to run game on me?”

  “Nah, just being truthful. You the one running game.”

  “Me? How I’m running game?”

  Love debated on whether or not to say what he was thinking next. He’d never been the type to talk about his feelings or let people in on his thoughts, especially when it came to women. He liked to keep them guessing. That way he wasn’t responsible for any hurt feelings. Women had the tendency to get ahead of themselves the moment they thought you liked them a little more than normal. Rain was different though. She didn’t seem eager to hop into a relationship and maybe that was the reason he felt so comfortable with discussing their little situation.

  “We’ve been kicking it for a minute and not one time have you asked me about other women. It’s like you don’t care if I’m fucking with other bitches or not. That’s definitely game.”

  He watched the familiar seriousness wash across her face. No smile, no anger, nothing. Just a calm expression demonstrating no feelings. This was the shit he was talking about now. Although he had to admit, her serious face was pretty as hell. She took a sip of her lemonade and looked back at him, still saying nothing.

  “See what I’m saying? You hardcore.”

  “I’m not hardcore. I just really don’t care. You’re grown. Why would I worry myself with whether or not you talking to other females. It ain’t like it’s gon’ make you stop.”

  Love was flabbergasted. He hadn’t expected her to say something like that. She said it like she really didn’t give a fuck. This stirred a few feelings up in Love because she had him falling for her and she didn’t care one way or the other if he was committed or not. What the fuck kind of shit was this?

  “Damn. You don’t give a fuck about me, huh?” Love asked before he could stop himself.

  “It’s not that. It’s just th
at we’re not together, therefore I’m not about to worry myself with what you do in your spare time.”

  “We’re not together? Since when we ain’t been together?” Love took a deep breath to calm down. He felt himself getting angry.

  “Love, clearly we’re not on the same page. I didn’t know we were together.”

  Ain’t this some shit?

  “Well I guess we ain’t then, and what I tell you about calling me that?” Love stuck a handful of fries in his mouth.

  He ate his food aggressively until he was completely finished. Once he was done he cleaned his hands and asked for the check. He knew it was childish that he hadn’t talked to her the entire time he ate his food, but fuck that. She had him livid. Talking about they weren’t together. The fuck? She wasn’t about to play him like a bitch. He’d just dismiss her ass the same way he did the rest of the hos. Once he paid for their food he began gathering his things. He hadn’t even asked her was she ready, but clearly she’d caught the hint because she grabbed her things and followed him from the restaurant. They were outside about to get in his truck when she turned to him and started talking. He had just opened the passenger door and was helping her in when she grabbed his forearm.

  “Dakota, listen. I’m not trying to be rude, inconsiderate, or none of that. I’m just being real. I honestly didn’t know we were together. I know we’ve been hanging pretty tough lately but we haven’t made anything official, which is fine with me.” Rain held his arm tighter when he attempted to pull away. “I’m not big on titles because they don’t mean anything if they don’t have actions to match. Forgive me if I sound harsh or like I don’t care about you because I promise that’s not it. It’s just that I learned a long time ago that it’s easier not to care.”

  As Love listened to her talk he could tell she was still fucked up over her cheating ass ex. That dead mothafucka’ had her mind all over the place. As bad as he wanted to be mad with her, he couldn’t. She was trying to block her heart from him, but he wasn’t about to let that happen. He was getting in there whether she wanted him to or not. He knew the kind of dude he was, and she was safe with him, but it was clear he had to prove himself.

  “Check this out, you my girlfriend, and I’m your boyfriend. We together now, and we gon’ keep being together until you get tired of me. I ain’t going nowhere. Your ass is stuck with me so you might as well let that little wall you done built around your heart fall the fuck down. I’m taking that shit.” Love tapped his finger in the center of her chest where he heart was. “This right here, belongs to me from now on. You got it?”

  He stepped closer to her and leaned against his truck with both of his hands on opposite sides of her. She cowered some because of his overpowering presence. Her eyes darted to the side a few times.

  “Nah, look at me. I’m your man so you make eye contact when I’m talking to you.”

  Rain looked at him with her eyebrows frowned. “You’re my man, not my daddy.”

  “Wrong again baby doll. I’m your man and your daddy. Now give me a kiss.”

  Rain stood with her arms crossed over her chest like she wasn’t about to move.

  “Don’t make me have to tell you again.” His eyes bore into hers.

  Love was doing everything he could not to laugh at her. She was feisty as hell. She really looked like she was mad. She kept breathing hard and smacking her teeth, but he wasn’t letting up. She was in desperate need of a real man, and he was just the one for her.

  Love leaned closer to her until their foreheads were touching. “See what your problem is, is you ain’t never been loved by a real man. You used to dealing with these fake ass li’l boys, but all that’s about to change. I’ma love you the right way. I’m finna expose your ass to some street love you ain’t gon’ be able to run from. By the time I get done loving on you…” Love kissed her nose, and she smiled. “Kissing on you, rubbing on you, and working this little body out, you gon’ be so in love with my ass you’ll be ready to slap any female that look at me too long.”

  Rain didn’t say anything; she just smiled and blushed unwillingly. Her defense was weakening.

  “Working my body out?”

  Love bit her bottom lip hard until she whimpered. When she did he removed his teeth and sucked on it instead. When he stopped he kissed her lips. “I’m putting this dick in you every chance I get. I’ma have this li’l body feigning for ya boy.”

  The way her body shivered he could tell his words were getting to her. She spent all that time acting like she didn’t want the dick. He knew she did. She was just too shy to ask for it.

  “You believe me Rain?”

  She nodded her head up and down. His head moved slightly when she did this, being that their foreheads were still pressed together.

  “Nah I need to hear you say it. I got to know you’re with me.”

  “I’m with you Kota. I promise, I’m with you.” She looked up at him.

  He felt her arms wrap around his waist as they stood against his truck. She stood on her tip-toes trying to kiss his lips. Instead of meeting her halfway he stayed in the same place and made her do all the work for a change. She picked up on it right away and put her hand on the back of his head pulling him down closer to her mouth. When their lips locked, he almost covered his ears. He needed something to drown out the fireworks he felt. True enough that some movie shit, but it was real. Little skinny ass Goddess-Rain had his head gone. She was on her tip-toes scooting closer so he tightened his grip around her body and picked her up so that she was face to face with him. Her tongue dipped in and out of his mouth as she moaned occasionally. Still holding her, Love turned and backed up until he was sitting on the side of his truck. Rain was still holding on massaging his tongue with hers. The soft sensual smell of her perfume invaded his nostrils as her hair fell against his face. Normally it was his hitting hers, but he’d worn it in a ponytail at the back of his neck.

  “Stop Kota, we’re in public babe.” She pulled away and looked at him only to lean over and kiss his lips once more.

  “Let’s slide then baby doll.” He helped her into the truck before going around to his side. Once they were settled he pulled off headed back to her house. Hopefully she was feeling hot enough to let him slide in tonight. He wanted her ass way too bad to keep waiting. By the time they’d finally got back to Rain’s house Love was even more eager to be her one and only. The entire drive home her phone had been ringing and beeping off the hook. She’d looked at her screen and rejected the caller at least six times. If she hadn’t looked so annoyed with the ringing phone he probably would have been a little bothered. He’d almost asked a few times who was calling her but didn’t want to seem too controlling so he didn’t. When they got to her house he got out and opened the door for her. They walked into the house quietly and she went upstairs. He took a seat on the sofa and let his eyes roam around her living room. He stopped at the quote above her television.

  Rain Makes Everything Beautiful.

  Her little conceited ass. Love read it a few times before pulling his phone out of his pocket. He had a text from Jacorey asking for the picture of them at Magic City. While Love rolled through the gallery of pictures to send Jacorey, he came across the photo he’d taken earlier of Rain’s notebook. He stared at the question she’d asked herself and wondered if he was really playing himself by trying to make her love him. Maybe he was asking for trouble. In the back of his mind he’d thought that he rushed he and Tacara’s relationship. He’d wondered on many occasions in the past if he was the reason for their relationship failing. Maybe he had been too eager to be with her and it came out as being overbearing. He really liked Rain and didn’t want to run the risk of running her off so he grabbed his phone and keys and exited her house. After all it wasn’t like she had come back down the stairs anyway. She might have needed some space as well so he would give it to her before she took it upon herself to do something reckless like what Tacara had done. He was in truck and halfway down the street when
his phone started ringing. It was Rain.

  “What’s up?”

  “You left?”

  “Yeah. I figured you might need some space or something.”

  Rain sighed into the phone. There was a long stretch of silence as they both held the phone.

  “I don’t need any space Dakota. Come back.”

  Love thought about it for a minute before turning back around and heading back to her house. He felt a little weak on the drive back because she was the dominant one in the relationship right now. He had been so sure of himself back at the restaurant but now that he’d had time to think about his past and how it could possibly be seeping back into his future he was uncertain again. Finding Tacara with another man made him never want to trust another female. Although Rain seemed like she could be trusted, her nonchalant attitude wasn’t something he felt like dealing with.

  “I’m back outside,” Love said as he drove down her street.

  “I know. I see you.” Rain was standing in the middle of her yard with one arm wrapped around her stomach while the other held the phone up to her ear. She had her hair twisted into a ball now and she’d changed. She wore a short dress that fit more like a shirt than a dress. Love’s eyes were glued to her while he parked. All of sudden his stomach was starting to feel funny, like he was nervous or something, but that couldn’t be because he never got nervous around women. She watched him walk up the sidewalk before meeting him at the door.

  “What’s up with this little ass dress?”

  “I was waiting on you to get back. I hadn’t intended on coming back out of the house tonight but somebody wants to act crazy and leave.”

  Love looked down. He felt slightly embarrassed. “Yo I’m tripping. I just thought I should give you some space so you wouldn’t feel pressured.”