by A'zayler
“Eww. Stop.”
He grabbed a handful of her butt as she tried to walk away. “What you made me for dinner?” He walked toward the kitchen and noticed Rain sitting at the table. “What’s up, girl? Why you ain’t say nothing? Sitting over there watching me love all on your sister.”
“Y’all nasty.” Rain turned her nose up and turned back around in her seat.
Jacorey sat in the empty chair next to her. “How we nasty?”
Rain picked up her fork and was putting more food in her mouth when he grabbed her hand and made her drop her fork.
“Damn girl, what the fuck is on your finger?”
Rain looked down in confusion, nearly forgetting that she was wearing her ring. “Nigga, I thought you was talking about something else. Made me drop my darn fork.”
“I’m talking about this shit.” He grabbed her finger, only for her to pull it away.
“Don’t act like you ain’t know.”
“I didn’t. I mean, I did, but the nigga didn’t tell me he was going to ask today. All he told me was that he had got you a ring and was thinking about asking.”
Summer set a plate of food in front of Jacorey. “This heffa didn’t give the boy a chance to ask. She found the ring, put it on, and told him yes.”
Jacorey looked between the both of them with a smirk on his face. “You lying, Summer Time. Rain ain’t do no shit like that.”
Summer sucked her teeth. “Didn’t you, Rain?”
Rain looked away and nodded her head. She couldn’t stop smiling as she waited for Jacorey to say something.
“Man, you and my boy be on some other shit. That’s what’s up though. I’m happy for y’all niggas.”
“Thank you, Jacorey.” Rain grabbed her plate and took it into the kitchen. “You need to take some lessons from him.”
Jacorey acted like he was choking on his food and Summer slapped him softly across his forehead.
“Stop being stupid.”
“I ain’t. That’s your sister. Talking about marriage and shit.”
“I didn’t mean the marriage part. I meant deciding what’s yours and claiming it. You play too much.” Rain walked back into the dining room. “Got her around here cooking and playing doctor with your ass. You better be this girl boyfriend before I hook her up with somebody else.”
Jacorey grabbed his chest. “Dang, Rain, you’d do me like that?”
Rain looked at him like he was crazy. “Boy, hell yeah I’ll do you like that. Ain’t nobody got all day to play. You’re too old to be scared of commitment. Be with my sister before she gets her another nigga.”
Summer sat quietly, looking between the two of them. Jacorey grabbed her hand and got her attention.
“You’d get you another boyfriend?”
She nodded.
“Damn, I thought we was better than that?”
Rain leaned over Summer and hugged her before pushing Jacorey’s shoulder. “Y’all is better than that. That’s why she gone get her another man. Y’all can still play best friends while she finds somebody to marry her… see you later, sissy. Bye, Jacorey.” Rain walked to the door. “And thanks for my dinner.”
“See you later, boo. You’re welcome.”
“Aight then, traitor. Tell my nigga I got some words for his ass.”
Rain told him she would before leaving. As soon as it closed, Jacorey was looking over at Summer again.
“So I guess you agree with that shit your sister was saying, huh?”
Summer stood from the table and took his plate with her. When she came back, she had more food and a cup of sweet tea. “Yep, I sure do. I ain’t got time to keep playing with you, boy we’re grown.”
Jacorey twisted his mouth to the side before giving his plate his full attention. Summer knew he’d heard what she and Rain had both said, so she wouldn’t press the issue. He knew where it was good at, so if he had some sense he’d act like it and make some moves.
Chapter 4: You Belong to Me
“I do.” Love smiled at Rain, as he held both of her hands in his.
They were standing downtown in the small room of the government building saying their vows. Rain was dressed casually in a white dress, while Love sported a pair of Forrest Green slacks and a white button up. His dreads were all down and wavy, while her hair was freshly flat ironed with loose curls on the end.
Standing a little taller in her heels, but still a lot shorter than Love, Rain smiled big enough to light up the room. With her hands clasped tightly into his, she was unable to wipe the tears that were getting ready to slide down her face. Love basked in the beauty of the woman he’d fallen so deep in love with in such a short period of time.
Though he could hear the soft sniffles of Alex and Summer, along with the subtle bass of the marriage officiant’s voice, all he cared about was his Goddess-Rain. She was the most beautiful woman that God had ever created, and the fact that she was all his, had him wanting to shed a few tears of his own.
He squeezed her hand firmly in his and winked his eye. The tears that had been resting on her eyelids fell down her cheeks and he couldn’t wait any longer. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and her cheek, drawing laughs from everybody in the room.
“I love you so much, baby doll,” he whispered in her ear.
Her voice cracked as she told him she loved him back. He released one of her hands only long enough to wipe the tears from her face. This time, he kissed her mouth. He grabbed her hand in his again before smiling at her.
“I’m afraid it’s not quite time for that yet, son.” The officiant laughed heartily at Love’s actions.
“I couldn’t help it.” Love took a deep breath and looked back at her. “Hurry up, man.” He shifted from one foot to the other.
Rain couldn’t stop smiling and crying as she watched how eager he seemed to be. They repeated a few more things and listened to the officiant talk for another five minutes before hearing what Love had been waiting on since he’d gotten off from work that morning.
“Now, young sir, you may kiss your bride.”
Love grabbed Rain’s face in both of his hands and pulled her whole body to him. She stumbled lightly before catching her footing and grabbing onto his arms. He kissed her lips two times before sliding his tongue into her mouth. His head was turned to one side as hers was facing the other. Their tongues did the sensual, yet very loving swirl that it had been doing at least once a day for the past few months.
Love released Rain’s face and pulled her small body to him until she was pressed against his chest. He had been up all night at the station thinking about that moment, and it had finally come. With one hand holding her body against his, and the other holding onto her face, Love took every ounce of breath Rain had away with his kiss.
“Y’all do know there’s other people in here, right?” Alex’s voice disturbed their first kiss as husband and wife.
Rain pulled away and smiled. Though their mouths were no longer touching, their bodies were. Love was still holding onto her.
“I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Dakota Love.” The officiant touched both of their shoulders as their friends began to cheer.
Jacorey, Summer, and Alex all clapped and expressed their happiness in some form or another as Rain and Love kissed again. They stayed in each other’s face, rubbing against one another for a few seconds before turning around and smiling at all of their friends. Rain walked away to hug Summer and Alex, while Love dapped Jacorey up.
The man who had performed their ceremony instructed them on what to do next before excusing them from the room and allowing the next lucky couple inside. Love held Rain’s hand in his as they all found the elevator and left. They made sure to pick up their marriage certificate before leaving the building.
Once they got to the bottom floor, they all stood around taking pictures before agreeing to meet up at IHOP for breakfast. Love turned around and looked at Rain over his shoulder as she walked behind him. Her tall heels and his long legs were both working against
her as she tried to keep up with his pace.
“Slow down, babe,”
“I’m not even walking that fast. Ain’t nobody tell you to wear those tall ass heels, trying to be sexy.”
“It ain’t my shoes, I can walk in heels. You’re just walking too fast.”
Love slowed his stride so she could catch up to him. Once they were walking at the same pace, she looped her arm through his and laid her head against his arm.
“We really did it, babe.”
“I know. I can’t believe I let you trick me.”
Rain pinched his arm and he laughed. “I’m just fucking with you, beautiful. I’m happy as hell right now. I ain’t never felt nothing like this.” He looked at her and touched the tip of her nose with his fingertip. “It was fast as hell, but you complete me. I knew it the first night I met you.”
“I knowwwww. It was love at first sight.” She nudged him playfully. “Remember?”
“I’m going to remember every day for the rest of my life.”
Rain wrapped her arm around his waist as he placed his around her shoulder. “I love you, Kota.”
“I love you too, Rain, baby.”
The newly married couple walked together to his truck. He helped her in before rounding the car and joining her. They talked and expressed their happiness with their decision until they got to IHOP. When they got there Alex, Summer, and Jacorey were all standing in the front of the building waiting for them.
Love got out first and walked over to open the door for Rain. He wasn’t lying when he told Rain that he had never felt anything like he felt right then. The warmth in his chest and the genuine happiness he felt in his heart were something that he couldn’t even describe. He remembered all the times he’d ran from other women, afraid of commitment, and how fast he’d thrown caution to the wind for Rain.
She was truly a blessing, one he hadn’t even expected. He had been ready to settle down for a while, but he had no idea when he met her at Magic City that night that she would be the one to tame him. He watched her walking in front of him. Her lil skinny ass. He laughed to himself as he watched her little dress slide higher and higher up her legs.
“Whooooo!” Summer yelled as they approached. “Congratulations, y’all. Y’all look so good together.”
“Don’t they. The Loves.” Alex joined with Summer in making their approach awkward.
“Man, y’all play too much.” Rain grabbed both of their hands in each one of hers as they entered the building.
There was no wait, so the waitress led them straight to the back. Love fell back in stride with Jacorey to give Rain some time with her people.
“Nigga, you know I’m still trying to believe this shit just happened, right?” Jacorey looked over at Love.
“Well, believe that shit, my nigga. Your boy is a married man now.” Love’s smile returned to his face.
Jacorey grabbed his chest and shook his head. “Don’t remind me, bruh, damn. I almost threw up when y’all was in there saying I do and shit.”
The other diners looked at them as they walked down the aisle laughing.
“You need to stop bullshitting and fuck with Summer. Maybe your ass will end up like me one day.”
“Why does everybody keep saying that shit? I fuck with Summer Time the long way, but I just don’t know about being tied down to one woman. I like to fuck.” Jacorey looked at Summer before looking back at Love. “I mean, I love to fuck, and I just don’t see how I can fuck the same woman forever.”
“How many hoes you fucking right now?” Love whispered.
“None, for real. Just Summer. She be putting it on my ass faithfully. I don’t have time to think about no other pussy. Shit, hers is always on my dick.”
Love and Jacorey’s laughter filled the restaurant again, this time gaining their women’s attention as well. Love blew Rain a kiss while Jacorey licked his tongue out at Summer.
“Man, you a fucking fool. If she’s got you that satisfied right now, how you think you’ll be if you lock her down? Trust me when I say, the shit gets better, my nigga. I’m on cloud nine right now on some real shit. Rain makes me happy. I wasn’t about to sit on my knuckles and let another nigga come take what’s mine.”
Jacorey nodded. “I feel you. I still don’t know, though.”
Love didn’t say anything else as they approached the table. He took his seat next to Rain as Jacorey rounded the table and took the chair on the other side of Summer. They were already looking through their menus when the guys sat down, so there wasn’t much conversation going on at first. Once the waitress came and took their orders everyone settled in and began conversing.
They were all laughing and joking about Rain and Love gaining weight since they were married now when Summer’s phone rang. Love watched the way Jacorey’s eyes went to her phone before drifting to her face. Summer looked at the screen before placing the phone to her ear. She tried to speak quietly, but even Love could tell it was a nigga that she was talking to.
The slight smile on her face didn’t help either. Love’s eyes went from her to Jacorey. For a nigga who claims he didn’t want to be tied down, he sure as hell didn’t have no shame. He was so close in her face it was embarrassing. Rain elbowed Love to get his attention, but he was already looking.
The two of them nearly fell over each other laughing as they watched Summer get up from the table. Jacorey looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel in his eye. He wore a deep scowl and he kept breathing in and out extra hard. Love looked over at Alex and smirked when he heard Jacorey curse under his breath.
Clearly, he and Rain weren’t the only ones who had picked up on Jacorey’s change in mood.
“Jacorey, you okay?” Rain’s soft voice was as even as she could muster with her still trying not to laugh.
“I’m straight.”
“You remember what I said yesterday?”
He looked over at her and his nose twitched for a minute before he looked away. He didn’t say whether or not he remembered, but he didn’t need to. His body language did that for him. He stayed seated in his seat for another few minutes, trying to control himself.
“She makes me so fucking sick.” He looked out of the window at her. “Tight ass fucking dress on,” he mumbled.
Rain and Alex both started laughing. “Don’t talk about my sister, Jacorey.”
“Fuck your sister, man. Walking around on the phone with some other nigga. That nigga probably the reason she wear that tight ass shit she be wearing. She knows her ass too fucking big to wear that shit.”
Love smirked. “I don’t see nothing wrong with the clothes lil sis be wearing. It looks straight to me.”
“Me too, Love in the Club. I think Jacorey’s just a hater.”
“Sounds like he’s mad to me.” Rain added her two cents.
“Aye, you know what? Fuck all y’all.” Jacorey stood up and threw his straw down onto the table.
He stormed out of the restaurant and walked over to where Summer was standing. She was beneath a tree, walking along the sidewalk smiling. When she saw Jacorey walking toward her, she said something about calling the person back and hung up her phone.
“Don’t be trying to rush off the phone now since I’m walking over here.”
“I’m not.” She tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm. “What you grabbing on me for?”
“What nigga was you just talking to?”
Summer crossed her arms over her chest. “Why?”
“Because I want you to know who’s responsible for getting you fucked up.”
Summer laughed before trying to walk away for the second time, only to be stopped again. “Stop trying to walk away from me, Summer.”
“What you want, Jacorey? What do you want? Because I’m not in the mood to talk about this right now.”
Jacorey’s nostrils flared. “I don’t care about what mood you’re in.”
Summer walked up to Jacorey. Not close, but closer than she had been. “Look at
yourself right now, Jacorey. You don’t want to be my man, but you want to act like it.” She patted his chest and shook her head. “You no longer have that right. I’m tired of playing. Love can be with my sister for a few months and marry her, but you can’t even get serious enough to make me your girlfriend? Nah. I’m good. I’m not about to talk about this with you. I’m done playing, baby.”
Summer walked around him and this time he let her. She walked back into the restaurant while he stood outside looking around the parking lot. He took a few deep breaths, trying to get his thoughts together before going back inside. It took him a minute, but once he felt calm enough to enjoy the rest of his breakfast, he joined them all back inside.
The table was a little awkward at first, but once every one got their food, conversation began to flow again. They all talked and laughed amongst themselves for another two hours before leaving and going their separate ways. Rain and Love were headed to their house to pack for their mini honeymoon to Jamaica, while Summer and Alex headed for the mall.
Love had surprised Rain with their itinerary at breakfast and she nearly melted. He’d explained to her how he and his coworkers had stayed up all night coming up with the perfect trip. Just so happened, Richardson’s wife was a travel agent and was able to book them a reasonable trip with little to no effort. Love had paid for it and they would be flying out of Atlanta later that night.
Rain had cried all over again, just like she had done at the courthouse. Summer and Alex were so happy you would have thought they were going too.
“Make sure you take a bunch of pictures.” Summer kissed Rain’s cheek.
“And bring me back one of them Jamaican men if you can, please.” Alex waved as he got into his truck.
“I’ll try.” Rain’s smile was touching her eyes as Love’s truck pulled away from the curb.
All of them waved at one another until they couldn’t see each other anymore. Rain turned around in her seat and relaxed as Love drove.
“You ready, Mrs. Love?”
“I’m ready, baby.” She grabbed his hand and kissed the back of it. “I love you. Thank you for making me so happy.”