by Tiya Rayne
Sean liked to be able to solve problems. He’s one of those people that liked to be needed. So I knew that being unable to solve this case for me was driving him crazy.
“I know you’re doing all you can, Sean.” I reached out and touched his arm lightly.
“Did anyone check the alarm?” Jackson asked, crossing his arms across his wide chest.
Sean cut his eyes over to Jackson giving him a suspicious look. “Why?”
“Hmmmm, I mean, it didn’t seem strange to you that the alarm wasn’t cut or triggered. The guy obviously punched in the alarm code. Did you give this guy your code, or did he ever see you putting that code in?” Jackson directed his last question to me.
“No. Neither,” I replied. “I don’t think he even knew I had it until the night he showed up at my door.”
Sean stared at Jackson curiously for a moment. “Thank you for bringing that to our attention, Mr…..”
“Keller. Jackson Keller.”
“I see. Well, Mr. Keller, I had already thought of that, seeing as I’ve been a cop for eleven years. In fact, I’ve already dusted the device for fingerprints. And from my many years in this line of work, I can confidently say those fingerprints belong to Charli, but by all means, you’re welcome to double check.”
“Sean,” I warned.
Sean looked to me and held up his hands in apology. “Sorry!” he said to Jackson. “I’m a little on edge.” He turns to me. “He brings up a good point, you should change your code,” he said to me.
Oh trust, I had already planned to do that.
“You know, Charli, it isn’t safe to stay here alone tonight. I have some guys that are going to watch the house, but if you want, I can camp out in the guest bed. Make sure that asshole doesn’t come back.”
“Oh, Sean, you……”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to stay.” Jackson cut into my reply, staring Sean down. “Wouldn’t want to interfere with your job.”
I ignored the pissing contest the two had going on and focused on Jackson’s words. This was the first I had heard of him spending the night. I wasn’t mad though. I wanted someone to stay, and maybe I could get Jackson to climb in bed with me—especially since that dumbass destroyed my vibrator. This seemed like a win/win.
Sean looked to me, waiting for me to confirm or deny Jackson’s statement. I stared blankly back at him.
“Well, alright then,” Sean finally said. “You two have a good night, and don’t forget to call me if you need me, Charli.” He wrapped his arms around me giving me a quick hug.
Jackson shut the door on the last officer and turned to face me. Though the idea of having Jackson here was comforting, I didn’t want him to feel obligated to stay.
“You know you can go home, right? I’ll be fine here by myself.”
“I’m good. Just show me to your guest bedroom.”
I gave Jackson a quick tour of the house. He let the dog back inside, he put her outside when the cops came so she would be out of the way.
“And you’re sure she’s not going to eat my walls or anything, right?”
Jackson laughed. I was standing in the doorway to his room across the hall from mine. He was in nothing but a pair of dark grey jogging pants. Thankfully, he kept a change of clothes in his gym bag in his truck. Somewhere that bitch karma was laughing her ass off at me. I had a man this damn fine in my house with a dick print like a fucking arm hanging between his legs, and he wouldn’t even give me any.
Jackson wasn’t one of those lean guys you see all over television. He had thick muscles, a wide chest, and a slight gut. He was thick as hell. Not fat, but damn sure not skinny. His body was amazing. A few tattoos on his arms and chest. A dark blonde happy trail that started slightly above his navel and disappeared into the low waistband of those joggers.
“Lady isn’t going to destroy your house. She’s well trained, and I’ll keep her locked behind the bedroom door so you don’t have to worry about her waking you up with dog kisses.”
I made a face, and Jackson laughed.
“If that beds not comfortable, you can always climb into bed with me. I don’t mind.”
Yes, I gave it one last try.
Jackson’s hazel eyes dilated as he pulled that plump bottom lip into his mouth.
“I’ve slept on the ground before, I can sleep anywhere. Besides, if I crawl into your bed, Char, I’m crawling between those legs, and when I do, you better be ready to admit to being mine and only mine. Are you ready to commit to me?”
Fuck! Just to have him between my legs I was ready to commit to anything, but I knew that Jackson was serious, and I didn’t want to give him false hope. I would never be ready for what Jackson offered. No matter how tempting that body was, I cannot give him that commitment.
I smiled. “Goodnight, Mr. Keller.”
I turned around and sashayed my ass back to my room. I could hear his growl behind me. I purposely wore my red satin and lace chemise from Frederick’s of Hollywood. It was just short enough to show the bottom of my rounded ass. And since fuckboy destroyed all my underwear, I had nothing covering up my globes.
I walked into the room and closed the door behind me. Finally, the day caught up to me. I collapsed down on my bed and fell asleep to thoughts of Jackson burying his face between my legs.
TEN
I woke the next morning to the sound of cabinets banging in my kitchen. For a split second I panicked, until I remembered Jackson staying over last night. I jumped out of the bed and did my morning routine. I snatched the silk bonnet off my head and fluffed up my wavy bob before pulling on a robe and heading down stairs.
I found Jackson bent over in my fridge.
“I had planned to make you breakfast, but I must have caught you before you went grocery shopping.” I didn’t know how he recognized me without even turning around.
I tried not to pout at the disappointment of him having on a shirt this morning.
“I just went to the grocery store last week. Did that asshole take my groceries?”
I rushed to the fridge. Jackson stepped back allowing me to have a look. I scanned all the shelves checking for the groceries I just bought.
“Everything is still here.”
Jackson looked at me with a raised eye. “There is only condiments, water, and a bag of apples in there.”
“Yeah! I told you I just went to the grocery store.”
He shook his head. “No wonder you’re so damn grumpy. You’re hungry.” He shut the refrigerator door. “I checked all your cabinets and your pantry. Other than a shit ton of wine and coffee, you have no food in this house. What do you eat?”
I walked over to the long drawer in my kitchen and pulled out my large white organized binder of takeout menus. I opened it up and handed it to him.
“They are separated in category. You have the pizza up front. Chinese is after that.” I headed towards my coffee machine and popped in a k-cup to start a brew.
“So, you don’t cook? At all?” He seemed startled by this question.
Maybe this was a deal breaker for him.
“No! I never learned to cook. I can pop popcorn. I’m pretty good at that.”
Jackson chuckled and shook his head. He closed my white binder and placed it down on the island.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those men that thinks a woman has to be able to cook and clean, are you? Because let me say, I can’t cook, but I can run the hell out of a business. And a lot of men can’t do that. So, I’m sorry if my lack of knowledge around a stove has turned you off.”
Jackson took two steps and was on me so close, I had to strain my head to look up at his eyes.
“Before you start labeling me, maybe you should give me time to answer. I don’t give a shit if you can cook or not. I can cook just fine. I was only asking because I was going to offer to cook you a meal. A real meal, and not this take out junk.” He pointed to my binder.
I was feeling rightfully chastised, but I would never let
him know it.
“There is nothing wrong with my take-out.”
He hummed and stepped away from me grabbing another coffee cup out of the cabinet over my head.
“Let me cook for you. I can take you back to my place, and we can hangout all day eating and watching TV.”
Why did that sound so fun? It was almost hard for me to turn him down, but I did. We were not ready for that.
“I can’t. Today is Sunday,” I said, adding my cream and sugar to my coffee. “Sundays are reserved for Sadie Rose. I’ve never missed a Sunday meal in all my thirty-three years, and I won’t start. Besides, her Sunday meals supply me with enough leftovers to last another day.”
He laughed and handed me his coffee mug. I changed out the k-cup and brewed him a cup. He leaned his back against the cabinet in front of me and crossed his arms over his chest. I got a memory flash of what that chest looked like shirtless. My bottom lip found its way between my teeth.
“What are you thinking about?” Jackson’s deep voice dropped another octave.
He knew damn well what I was thinking about. I glanced down to his crotch. Hell yeah he knew what I was thinking about.
“I’m trying to figure out why you’re being so stingy with that pole in your pants.”
A sexy chuckle from Jackson. The coffee maker finished brewing his coffee, I turned and grabbed it, then handed it to him. I watched those full lips spread as he placed the mug between his lips and sipped. How did he make every damn thing he did feel so sexual?
“I’m not being stingy. I’m being selective.”
“Really?” I let a beat of silence bounce between us before I asked the next question. I allowed him to let his guard down. “So, when’s the last time you fucked?”
My question caused him to choke on his sip of coffee. I watched him as he coughed. I wanted my question answered. When he finally composed himself, he wiped his hands on a napkin he grabbed.
He eyed me. “I’ll answer your question, but just know that whatever question you ask me, you also have to answer.”
I shrugged one shoulder. I didn’t have a problem with that.
“Alright, I last had sex a month ago…..”
“Who was it with?”
He looked at me and smiled. “My ex –girlfriend, Vanessa. I had a moment of weakness and fell back into bed with her. Not my proudest moment.”
“How long had you and Vanessa been dating?”
He rubbed his beard. That was a new thing. I’d never seen him do this before.
He sighed before saying. “On and off for about three years.”
My eyes widened.
“It’s not what you think.” He tried to clarify, but I was pretty sure it was what I thought it was.
There was no way I was a serious thing for Jackson. If this woman, Vanessa, had been in and out of his life for three years, she meant something to him. And I don’t have a problem with that. I liked Jackson, but he’s not my man. However, why pretend that he wants something with me if I was just something to do between his ex.
“I can tell by that look in your eyes that you are definitely thinking the wrong thing. But hear me out, Vanessa is my sister-in-law’s best friend. When we initially dated, I did it more for her and my brother. Vanessa is beautiful and all, but we lack a true connection.”
“And it’s taken you three years to come to that fucking conclusion.”
Another tug of his beard. “No! Initially I liked her, and I thought she was great, but then, all the marriage hints started being dropped, and I realized that I didn’t love her enough to marry her. After a year, I called it off. She and I have both dated other people since then, but it seems that if we are both single at the same time, we usually hook back up for a few months before I realize why we broke up to begin with. I’m not caught up or in love with my ex, Char.”
“So, if this ex comes to your house tonight for a repeat of last month, you would turn her down?”
“Yes!” he admitted without hesitation.
I sucked my teeth in disbelief and rolled my eyes. Grams would knock my teeth out for this if she saw me.
“Oh, please.”
“Why are you trying to make this into something it isn’t?”
“I’m just trying to get you to see that you’re going back to her for a reason. Now either she has the greatest snatch in the world, or you’re in love with her.”
He growled in frustration. “It’s neither of those, Char. She was familiar, that’s it.”
I placed my coffee cup down and cross my arms over my chest. “Well, Sean and I have been fucking since I was in high school. I don’t love him, but his dick is superb. If he came to my door right now and asked me to ride it, I would say yes.”
Jackson’s jaw ticked. I watched as those sexy bedroom eyes clouded over with anger.
“That explains a lot,” he said. “But I’m not you. Sex doesn’t drive me. Vanessa and I are over.”
I laughed and walked away from him. He caught me before I walked out of the kitchen, grabbing my elbow and gently turned me back around.
“Why are you getting so upset?”
“I’m not upset!” I yelled before bringing my tone back down. “I just don’t like these bullshit games. Every man I meet, I tell them from the start what I want…..”
“And I’m doing the same thing with you.”
“Are you really?” I yelled my question. “You’re telling me that the woman that you’ve been back in forth in a relationship with for the past three years mean nothing to you? That if for some reason, we happen to get serious, she won’t be a problem for us?”
“No! I’m telling you the truth. I don’t want Vanessa.”
I stared into those hazel eyes trying to find the truth. I wanted to believe him. For a moment, I wanted to put all my common sense to the back burner and believe that there was no way that he could still have feelings for the woman that he’s been with for three years. And it was for that reason that I said the next words out of my mouth.
“I need you to leave.”
Jackson reared back, his eyes widening as he watched me. I didn’t have time for this. I was already doing shit I didn’t usually do. Jackson staying over last night was way beyond my comfort zone, and I damn sure wasn’t going to start making excuses for liars.
For a second, those gorgeous eyes just stared at me. Finally, he sighed.
“Fine, Char.” He turned and headed up the stairs. He called for his dog, and she followed behind him, but not before looking me up and down.
I waited for him to come back down the stairs with my arms folded over my chest. He had his duffel bag in his hand. I opened the door and stood patiently waiting for him to leave.
He stopped in front of me. That damn smile plastered on his face.
“I’ll play your little game today, but don’t think for a second I’m letting you get away that easy.”
He bent down and placed a kiss on my cheek. I could have turned away from him. I had plenty of time to turn my head or tell him to stop, but I allowed that brief moment for his lips to touch my cheek.
“Call me when you’re ready to be a big girl.”
He left me with that little nugget and walked out of my house. I closed the door and slid down to my bottom.
I did the right thing. Jackson wanted something with me he already had. I didn’t believe in love or relationships, but I damn sure wasn’t going to invest my time and energy in something that he would eventually abandon and go back to his ex. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
***
“Ooh, Grams, this potato salad is so good,” Keisha said cheerfully around her second helping of potato salad.
I made it to my Grams’ house on time, but without my usual dinner contribution. I was surprised I even made it at all. My mind was still back at my house this morning.
“You sure are likinig that potato salad real good, Keisha,” Chante said with a wide grin on her face. “You wouldn’t happen to be expecting, woul
d you?”
For fuck sakes, I hope not. I mean damn, does she not know what the fuck a condom is?
Keisha started smiling and nodding her head. Everyone cheered and congratulated her and her new boyfriend. My family always celebrated new life, didn’t matter if it was the first baby of a new married couple, or the fifth from a single mother. A child was always a blessing, and even though Keisha was a bitch sometimes, I was still excited for her.
Once all the congratulations had died down, Grams turned to me. “I knew when I dreamed about fish awhile ago someone was pregnant. I was hoping it would be Duck.”
I nearly choked on the sweet tea I was drinking.
“Now, Mrs. Sadie, you know Duck isn’t really the mothering type.” A few chuckles went around the table at Quincy’s joke.
“And you don’t know enough about my cousin or my family to be making stupid ass jokes,” Eli said, coming to my defense.
Eli stared at Quincy, challenging him to say anything else.
“He was just joking, Eli. Calm down.” Chante tried to speak out in defense of her man.
Tension cut through the table. Eli was never a fan of Quincy. If he knew some of the things I knew, he would probably readily whoop his ass.
“I heard from Martin last night.”
“Shit!” I announced as I tried to mop up the sweet tea I just spilled.
“Mouth, Duck,” my grandfather chided politely.
“Dang girl, you all over the place this morning.” Eli chuckled as he helped me wipe up the tea I just spilled.
Devin handed me a handful more napkins to wipe up the rest of the tea.
“It must have something to do with yesterday.” Devin chuckled. “The girls and I came by twice to surprise you. Where were you?”
“I went hiking,” I answered without thinking.
The moment the words were are out my mouth, I closed my eyes and scolded myself. This was not the information you gave out to my family. They would either make a bigger deal out of it, or start making assumptions.
“Hiking? What’re you doing hiking? That’s some white folks shit.” Eli laughed.