Real Love

by Alexandria House

  So did she.

  All those months ago when I first met her and watched her tell me off, I had no idea we’d end up here, but I knew she was special and that under different circumstances, I would’ve loved to have gotten to know her better. That fire in her was like a magnet to me. While most men might’ve found it hard to be with a woman as strong as Denise, I knew she was just what I needed. I knew she was the type of woman who’d make me a better man. I knew that together, we’d be unbreakable. I was right.

  After our “I Do’s,” we hugged and thanked our parents, drank with our friends, and when it was time for us to leave for our honeymoon, I picked her up and carried her to the limo that was waiting to take us to the airport, happy we were starting the rest of our lives together.

  When we arrived at the hotel in Paris and could see the Eiffel Tower from the window in our room, I knew that the ridiculous amount of money we’d spent on the trip was worth it. Rose petals greeted us on our bed, and a bottle of champagne awaited us on the dresser, but all I could think about was getting out of my clothes and into the shower, and after that looooong transcontinental flight, I really, really needed a nap. There was disappointment on Hasaan’s face when I relayed my wishes to him, but he looked tired himself, so he hesitantly agreed that we’d freshen up, get some rest, and get started on the real festivities later.

  My idea of later was different from his, because I’m pretty sure I’d only been asleep for about thirty minutes when I felt him opening my legs.

  “Baby, what are you doing? I thought we were taking a nap,” I said groggily.

  “We did,” he said, as he began stroking me between my legs.

  I moaned and opened my legs wider. “Shit, I’ll sleep later.”

  “That’s my girl, my wife.”

  He stroked me and kissed me until I nearly exploded, and then he stopped and looked down at me. “Denise?”

  “Yeah?” I whined.

  “I love you, baby. I love you so much.”

  I grabbed him, pulling him to me so that I could flick my tongue across the huge D he’d had tattooed on his neck before we got married, on the opposite side as the H. “I love you, too, H. I love you more than anything in this world.”

  He kissed me deeply, reaching between us and stroking me again. I reached down and wrapped my hand around his erection, glad we’d decided to take our nap in the nude so that there was no fabric there to impede my progress. We pleased each other with our hands until neither of us could take it anymore, and then we lay on our sides, and Hasaan lifted my right leg, entering me from behind, causing me to grab the sheets and scream at the sheer pleasure of feeling him inside of me. I closed my eyes and moaned as the sounds of him sliding in and out of my wetness filled the room, along with our labored breathing. I inhaled deeply, breathing in the intoxicating scent of our sex as it hung in the air. He kissed my shoulder, whispered in my ear how he loved being inside of me, asked, “Is it mine, baby?”

  “Yes, baby. It’s yours,” I hummed.

  As he continued to hurt me so good, the only thought in my mind was that this man was all mine, and he was mine forever.

  Forever.

  “Don’t stop, don’t stop,” I begged him. “Please, don’t stop…”

  He stroked my hair and licked my earlobe as he glided in and out of my core, making me spasm around his shaft. “I won’t, baby. I won’t…”

  We made love until we were exhausted, until I had screamed his name so much I almost lost my voice, and when we were both sated, we rested in each other’s arms and held each other through that first night in Paris.

  I felt his bulge against my butt early the next morning. “Damn, you ready to go again?” I asked.

  “I’m always ready to go for you, but if you’re too tired, I’ll give you a break. You gotta make it up to me later, though.”

  “Hmm, that’s why I love you. You’re so considerate even when your thing is hard as a brick.”

  He chuckled as he rubbed his hand over the skin of my bare back. “Hey, aren’t you glad you let me tat you up?” He brushed his lips across the replica of Sister Africa.

  “Mm-hmm. It hurt like hell, but I love it.”

  “Aw, now, I thought me and mini me made you feel better afterwards.”

  “You did. But I can’t believe it only took you three days to do it.”

  “What can I say? I’m the man.”

  I laughed. “And you’re so modest. Hey, baby, you know what I need right now?”

  “Aw, yeah! You ready for some more of Big Daddy?”

  “No…I was wondering if you’d go get me a cup of water. I’m parched.”

  He froze behind me, and his disappointment was palpable as he said, “Uh…sure, baby.”

  I rolled over and faced him with a grin on my face. “I’m just playing. Come on, Big Daddy.”

  He kissed me, and well, you know…

  43

  Seven Months Later…

  We all sat in VIP together, the six of us, our little family. We were at Plush for Nyles’ release party, and the DJ was alternating playing Neo Soul tunes and tracks from the Nyles Speaks album. There I sat with swollen ankles only rivaled by my swollen belly, jamming in my seat. I was six months pregnant and as big as a house, but I wouldn’t have missed Nyles’ special night for anything. Hasaan sat by my side, his hand on my belly as he laughed and talked with Derek and Nyles. Trevia and Greer were teasing me about chair dancing, and I don’t know why, because I’d already cursed them out once about messing with me. I swear, I really think they liked for me to go off on them. They both knew my emotions were on level three hundred since I’d been pregnant. Those heifers got on my nerves, but I loved them, and they knew that, too.

  In that moment, I thought about what Hasaan had said on our first real date, that what made life worthwhile was good friends, good food, and good love. I was sitting there with my good friends, right next to my good love, with a plate of good food sitting in front of me since the event had been catered.

  I was happy. We all were, and there was nothing better than that.

  “Excuse me, does anyone need a refill, or do any of you have a new drink order?” a waitress asked us.

  It only took a second for me to realize all of us women had ordered water and the men had ordered liquor.

  “Y’all been messing with me all night, so now what are y’all doing? Ordering sympathy waters because I can’t drink?”

  “No, I’m just pregnant,” Greer said rather matter-of-factly.

  “What?!” I screamed.

  “Me, too,” Trevia said.

  “What?!” Hasaan and Greer and I shouted. Then the men all stood and gripped hands and patted each other on the back while muttering stuff like, “Okay, I see you,” and “You the man,” and “We did it, man.” I swear we really were married to some nuts.

  We were in the middle of sharing due dates when Jayla approached us hand in hand with none other than Christian Baker, my ex-boyfriend turned ex-booty call.

  “Hey, guys. I hope you’re enjoying the festivities,” she said.

  We all shared that we were having a ball.

  “Good, well, I wanted to share something with my sister, and since you’re all here with her, I guess I’ll share it with the rest of you, too. Well, Trevia, you know there’s been someone special in my life over these past several months, right?”

  Trevia nodded and glanced at me with a frown. In response, I shrugged. I had no idea what was going on, but I was sure we were all about to find out.

  “Well, I know you all already know Christian, so I’ll just say it. We got engaged this morning!”

  We all congratulated them, and when Christian bent down to hug me, I hugged him back, because I really harbored no ill will toward him. We just weren’t meant to be. And now I knew that was because me and Hasaan were made for each other. Maybe Christian and Jayla were, too.

  Later that night, while I lay in Hasaan’s arms in Greer’s and Derek’s guest bedroo
m, he asked, “So what do you think about your ex marrying Trevia’s sister?”

  “Hmm, I think I’m happy for them. I hope they’re as happy as we are.” I didn’t mention that I wondered if Jayla was beating his ass.

  “Are you happy, baby?”

  “I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life, but I’ll be even happier than that when I have this baby.”

  He rubbed my stomach and chuckled. “Our little boy in there cutting up again?”

  “He’s your son, of course he’s cutting up. Kicking up a storm!”

  He scooted down in the bed, and said to my stomach, “Hey, Little H, stop kicking your mama so hard.”

  In response, our baby kicked again…harder.

  “Damn, he’s gonna be hardheaded just like you,” Hasaan said.

  “Whatever. You like my hardheaded ass, so stop hating.”

  “Nah, baby. I love your little, short hardheaded ass, Denise Latrice Peterson.”

  “You know what, Hasaan Ishmael Peterson? I love you, too.”

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you’ve enjoyed taking these journeys with Greer and Derek, Trevia and Nyles, and Denise and Hasaan as much as I enjoyed penning them. I really want to thank everyone who has read these stories, reviewed them, and spread the word whether via social media or word of mouth. While reading this series, I hope you smiled, laughed (or giggled), sighed, and even crossed your legs or squirmed in your seat a few times. If you did, my mission was accomplished! I’m looking forward to us having a beautiful future together as reader and writer, because I’m working on more #blacklove stories for your reading pleasure!

  Thanks ever so much,

  Alex House

  A southern girl at heart, Alexandria House has an affinity for a good banana pudding, Neo Soul music, and tall black men in suits. When this fashionista is not shopping, she’s writing steamy stories about real black love.

  Connect with Alexandria!

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