by K. C. Mills
“Damn.” Red chuckled and then kissed my neck. “You’re welcome then, even though I didn’t touch you that time.”
I punched him dead in his chest and rolled my eyes. “You’re so damn arrogant, and cocky, and sexy. But mostly arrogant.”
“Well you’re equally sexy, and never in my life has a woman had me moaning and shit like you just did. You better not ever tell anyone about that either.”
“Nobody I know knows you, so what difference will it make?”
“Doesn’t matter. Keep that shit to yourself.”
A knock on the door had us both looking toward the bedroom door.
“Our food is here,” I said and hopped up while tightening my robe, but Red was on his feet adjusting his jeans.
“Nah, I’ll get it. After what you just did to me, I don’t want anyone else to look at you. They might pick up on those vibes, and I’m not trying to share any of that, or any of you tonight.”
“Would you stop playing?”
“I’m not playing. I’m dead ass. Stay your ass in here.”
I rolled my eyes and left him there but headed to the bathroom instead. By the time I was done cleaning up, Red was walking in to do the same. I passed him on the way out, and he winked at me just before issuing a threat.
“Don’t eat it all before I’m done.”
I stopped at the door and turned to him.
“It’s a whole pizza, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good, I might leave you one slice.” I shrugged as I left him there.
About twenty minutes later, he joined me and sat on the bed after grabbing a slice. I watched as he lifted it to his mouth, and his teeth sank into it as he consumed almost half.
“So, you want to tell me what that was about? And trust me, I’m not complaining.” His face was relaxed, but he wasn’t smiling or even remotely happy that I could tell.
“Me wanting you to stay.”
“I wasn’t leaving, not for a few hours anyway. I promised you one night.”
“Yeah, you did, but that guy showing up might have changed it.”
He stared right through me for a minute and then smiled. “You didn’t want me to leave?”
“No.”
“And that’s all that was about?”
“Yeah, well that and the fact that I knew you were upset. I wanted to help, and it’s the only way I knew how.”
Red chuckled, tossed the half-eaten slice of pizza on the rolling cart behind him, and pulled me into his lap. “I wasn’t going to leave. Being here with you gives me time to clear my head so that I can think logically when I have to deal with…” he paused and then continued, “before I have to get back to my life. You didn’t have to give me head to make me stay. You could have just asked…” He paused again. “But, I damn sure appreciated that more than you just asking me.”
I burst out laughing from the look he gave me. “Glad to know. I’ll keep that in mind next time.”
“Next time?”
“No, I mean… I didn’t literally mean next time. I was just—”
“Don’t trip, I get it. You’re good, though. It’s kinda late. Early for me because I don’t sleep for shit, but I don’t see you as an up all night type of person.”
“For your information, I actually have trouble sleeping, so this is normal for me.”
“I guess we have that in common.”
“Well, either way, let’s just finish this, and then we can chill.”
An hour later, we were both comfy and tucked away in bed. Half of my body was wrapped around his, and a comfortable silence had settled around us. At three in the morning, all I wanted was to shut my eyes and drift off to sleep. Oddly enough, I felt as if I could but was fighting against it. Sleep meant the night was over, and I was dreading that with every minute that passed. My mind was all over the place. I had spent less than twenty-four hours with a man who I didn’t know but felt like I needed. I needed him. How was that even possible?
Red was nothing I ever wanted or even considered having, yet lying there, fitting perfectly against his body, it felt right. It felt like home. But, my home was with Linus. The man who I was committed to, who I shared my life with and mapped out future plans with.
My future was with Linus, but I wanted a future with Red. A man who lived recklessly and dangerously and made no apologies for it. He also made it very clear that he had nothing to offer a woman right now besides a physical connection. He wasn’t even interested in trying, but there were times tonight when it seemed like he wanted more. Maybe it was just me wanting more. I had a bad habit of seeing what I wanted to see, and Linus was proof of that.
He was cheating; there was no way around it, and I had to figure out how to move on with my life and deal with him. It didn’t make sense for me to add to that by entertaining something with a man that I agreed to have a one night stand with, right?
All Good Things Come to an End…
Red.
“You’re thinking heavy as fuck down there.” I lifted my head just enough to view where Peyson’s head rested on my chest.
This was the last place I needed to be, but here I was. There was so much shit going on that required my attention, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave this room, or her, just yet.
“No, I’m not.”
I could feel her smile. It was shit like this that let me know that the second she climbed in this bed, I should have been putting my clothes on and hitting the streets. Instead, I was here cuddled up like she was mine and allowing her smile to pull one from me.
“Yeah, you are. I can feel that shit. So, what’s on your mind?”
“Nothing.”
“Word, so that’s how we’re doing it?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” This time, she was the one lifting her head.
When our eyes met, even with the room as dark as it was, I could see the straight line of her lips and the thinness of her eyes.
“We aren’t best friends or no shit like that, but after everything that went down between us tonight, we damn sure aren’t strangers anymore. You saying nothing when, clearly, you have something heavy on your mind is mad disrespectful.”
“It’s really nothing.”
She was lying, but what was more important a than the lie that she was telling was the reason behind it. I was damn sure hoping that she wasn’t settling into regrets about how things played out with us tonight. Either way, I knew exactly how to get her talking, and truthfully, I missed the feel of her already.
Lifting up and sliding from under her body, I quickly positioned mine over hers, pushing myself between her legs, which she spread without hesitation. The smile that surfaced was just natural from her welcoming me again.
“You’ve been talking all night. I know things about you that I’m sure you don’t share with many people, and I know shit about your dude that has me wanting to pull up on his stupid ass. There’s no reason for you to shut down on me now. What’s on your mind, Peyson?”
I lowered my head, grazed her lips with my tongue, and then worked my way into an actual kiss. When I pulled back, she grinned.
“Your lips are soft. It’s like they shouldn’t belong to you because they contradict everything else about you.”
“Like this?”
I eased into her, causing a brief pause as she sucked in a deep breath.
“Yes, exactly like that.” Her voice was low and whiny.
I was sure she was in no position to take on any more of me, but I was selfish. I had to leave soon, and I wanted one last memory of how perfect tonight had been.
“You want me to stop?”
I eased in and out of her with slow, deliberate motions, trying my best not to make her uncomfortable, but I was sure she was struggling.
“Yes, but no.”
I chuckled and paused after I plunged into her again, holding steady and waiting for clarification.
“Yes, but no? You have to do better than that, Peyson. Tell me what yo
u want.”
The look she gave me damn near had me wanting to say, me too. I knew what she wanted even if she refused to admit it, but if she wasn’t going to tell me, then I wasn’t going to put it out there again. She had already shut down the idea more times than I cared to think about. This didn’t have to end, but apparently, it was going to. She had a life that didn’t blend well with mine, and she was obliviously going to try to fix shit with a nigga who didn’t deserve her. There wasn’t a damn thing that I could do about that, so this was it for us.
“Yes, because I really feel like you have taken all I have to give. I probably won’t be able to walk for a week. And no because I still want more. Is that crazy?”
“Yes and no.” I smirked when her eyes narrowed on me.
“You have to be more specific, Redmon.”
“I hate my fucking name, but when you say it, it feels different.”
I bit her shoulder as I glided in and out of her, trying to give her just enough but not so much that she couldn’t enjoy it.
“So, you want me to call you Redmon?”
“Hell no, I didn’t say all that, but it does feel different when you say it. You call me that in the streets, and you better not be close enough for me to get my hands on you.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.” It rolled off her tongue so smoothly that I could feel the confidence behind it.
“Call me that shit in public, and I might.”
“And what if I call you that in private, Redmon?”
Being the person that she was, she had to push the limits, and the second she let it slip, she regretted it.
My strokes were delivered with purpose, which had her fingers digging into my arms and her teeth sinking into her lip. I hit her back to back and so deep that it wasn’t until then that I even processed that I was inside of her with no protection. This was the first time tonight that I had slipped up, but damn if it wasn’t too late to do anything about it. She came hard, pushing into me, and that trigged a chain reaction. My nut rushed through me so fast that there was no hope of me pulling out or stopping the release, so I just let it go.
“How?”
I lifted my head and peered at Peyson who was offering a lazy grin. She was inches away from sleep and looked just as sexy if not more than she had all night.
“How what?”
“How is that even possible? You’re definitely a unicorn.”
I chuckled and slowly eased out of her.
“Trust me, I’m not. You’re just getting the best parts of me tonight. There’s plenty about me that I’m sure you wouldn’t like.”
“Not possible, but if this is the best of you, then I’m a lucky girl.” Her tone was lazy, and her eyes were now closed. She had a peaceful look on her face which had me wishing that I could have this all the time. She was peace.
“Nah, I’m the lucky one, even if it’s just for tonight, but you’ll have to trust me on that.”
“I trust you...” Her voice was soft, barely audible, and perfect. She was perfect. She also wasn’t mine. “…completely.”
I left her there and went to clean up. By the time I returned with a warm washcloth, she was already drifting. I handled her gently, kissed her cheek, and then covered her body. The only thing I got from her during the process was a few soft moans and a half ass smile when my lips grazed her skin. Peyson was down for the count, and I was surprised she lasted this long.
Truthfully, I was exhausted too, but it would be several more hours before I could rest, and I damn sure wouldn’t be resting peacefully like she was. The streets were waiting. Me being in this hotel didn’t change that. It only prolonged the inevitable. I would have to take a life in order to make a point. It wasn’t going to bring Ced back, which meant that his child would be raised by someone other than him, but at least I could end the life of the person who left that baby out there in the world to figure shit out on its own. I was too familiar with how not having a father could change everything about you, so for that reason alone, Kal had to see me.
After dressing and then heading to the living room to get the last blunt left from what Boyce delivered, I ended up back in the room with Peyson. My goal was to leave, but I wasn’t ready to let go of her just yet. So, instead, I settled in next to her, folded one arm behind my head, and allowed one foot to rest on the floor. Peyson slept soundly beside me while my high crept in. When I finished my blunt, I removed my phone from my pocket and called Boyce.
“You moving?” was the first thing he assumed based on the fact that I was calling.
I glanced at Peyson and pushed her hair out of her face, tucking a few pieces behind her ear. She stirred a little but didn’t wake.
“I’m about to. We set up?”
“Yeah. Everyone’s waiting on you.”
“Aight, give me an hour, and I’ll be there.”
I ended the call without waiting for a reply, exhaled a short breath, and then lifted the hotel phone.
“Good morning, Mr. Stokes, how can I assist you?”
“I have a package that was left in your safe. I need it delivered to the room.”
“Absolutely. Do you mind holding for a moment?”
“Nah, do your thing.”
While I waited, I watched the rise and fall of Peyson’s chest, and without effort, my breathing fell in sync with hers. This was the shit that let me know that leaving was the right thing to do. She was dangerous for me and everything that I didn’t need. But I wanted her.
“Sir…”
“Yeah.”
“I have that right here. Shall I send it up now?”
“Yeah. There will be a late checkout, so bill me for one more night. You have my card on file?”
“Yes sir, I’ll take care of it. Is there anything else?”
“Nah, that’s it. ’Preciate it.”
Not even ten minutes later there was a knock on the door. I took long strides in a hurry to get there and make sure they didn’t wake Peyson. I was greeted by a guy holding the bouquet of flowers that I had for her and the box from Cartier. Sasha had spent enough time in there that they kept my card on file. I knew women liked expensive shit, and Peyson was no different. Initially, that was my reason for the bracelet that I had Boyce pick up, but after spending the evening with Peyson, I knew that whether she liked nice shit or not, she deserved it. Thirty-two grand for one fucking bracelet, and I didn’t even think twice about the price.
A woman like Peyson needed to feel appreciated, respected, and loved. I hoped that she would at least feel half of that when she laid eyes on it, but if not, at least she would know that I felt like she deserved the best.
I handed over a hundred as a tip and then took everything to the room. After placing it on the nightstand, I delivered one last kiss before I scribbled out a note, leaving only my number and a simple message. I powered on her phone since she had shut it off hours ago and then returned it to the nightstand. I had a feeling that she wouldn’t be up anytime soon based on the night we had.
I also wasn’t sure if she would reach out to me, and maybe it was best that she didn’t, but a part of me still wanted her to. I couldn’t put too much thought into it because I had to get my head right, so I could step back into my real life, and this damn sure wasn’t it. The streets were waiting, and for a man like me, it’s what kept my heart beating. The streets were mine, Peyson wasn’t.
Peyson.
I could barely move my body because it felt so heavy. I wasn’t much of a drinker, and I hadn’t smoked since college. That had been years ago, and now I was truly feeling the effects of it. Well, that combined with the fact that after dealing with Red, I felt as if I had been hit by a bus. A really big, fast-moving bus.
It was that thought that had me peeling my eyes open. Redmon. He was gone. I could feel his absence, but I still sat up and pulled the sheet with me to cover my bare chest. His scent still lingered in the sheets and on the pillow, but he wasn’t there. My eyes darted around the room, and that’s when I fou
nd traces of him. The bouquet of exotic flowers. It was huge, and they were beautiful and full of colors. And the burgundy box from…
I lifted it and smiled. How?
Before I could put much thought into it, I lifted the note. His handwriting was horrible, but it brought a huge smile to my face. It fit. It was him.
Dropping the sheet and pulling my legs to me, crossing my ankles so that I was sitting Indian style, I moved my finger slowly across the words that Red had written. A number, and the words, call me when you’re up. I smiled again before my teeth sank into my lip to suppress it. Lifting my phone, I unlocked it and dialed the numbers one by one as my eyes moved across them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to follow through with my initial thought because just as the call connected, another came through at the same time. Guilt forced me to switch over and answer it instead.
My heart raced a little as a rush of panic flooded through me, but I shut my eyes tight to get a grip before I opened my mouth to speak.
“Hey.”
“Where are you? I’ve been worried sick. I have been trying to reach you all night, and my calls kept going straight to voice mail.”
It wasn’t until then that I remembered shutting off my phone. Red must have turned it on before he left.
“I’m fine. My phone was off.”
I lifted the Cartier box before using my shoulder and the side of my face to hold my phone. Once I had it in my hands, I pushed the button to lift the lid, and my eyes stretched wide. Shit!
“Why was your phone off?”
I threw my hand over my mouth before I lowered it enough to allow my fingers to glide across the pink and white gold Leve Diamond Love bracelet.
“Pee.”
“What?” My voice elevated. He was interrupting a private moment for me, and I was annoyed.
“What the hell are you yelling for? I’m just attempting to make sense of the situation. Why the hell was your phone off?”
“Because I didn’t want to talk to anyone.” You, more specifically!
“Pee.” Linus’ voice softened, but it didn’t help my mood. “I messed up. I sincerely apologize for not being there last night. Let me make it up to you.”