Saving Her: BWWM Interracial Romance (7 page)

“I like you too, Raquel. But I really have to go. Thanks again, and I'll talk to you guys soon.”

I rushed out of the apartment. Along with my usual backpack, I had a second bag with some workout clothes. My mind wasn't made up, but I wanted to have them just in case I decided to go see Mike. I couldn't believe how often he kept appearing in my thoughts. Was I that horny? I laughed at myself as I caught a bus to go across town to work.

After helping Mrs. Flanagan for two hours with a variety of tasks and Mr. Franks for an hour, I was covered in sweat and completely exhausted. I seriously thought about just going home, but I decided to take Mike up on his offer. If I worked out for a little bit, I could forget about all the stress in my life. At least that's what I told myself. Deep down, I was interested in Mike. I didn't know him – at all – but if he owned his own gym he had to be doing okay for himself. Would dating a man that had his life together really be that bad?

When I got to the address, which was on the edge of my neighborhood and a block away from my usual bus stop. Another sign? I wondered as I tried to gather my courage. Even though I had no time for a relationship, I was sure that some of my friends wouldn't understand me dating another white man or even just talking to one.

They would throw Ron in my face. I almost considered my relationship with him the biggest mistake in my life, but without him Edward wouldn't have been born. My son was my entire life and I loved him. Ron was wrong for me, but he had given me a gift I would never forget.

“You made it.” Mike's voice carried across the open area full of gym equipment.

I waved. As I walked over, I noticed he had one of everything; one treadmill, one set of weights, one stationary bicycle. The lack of equipment didn't seem that big of a problem as I only saw two other people working out.

“Yeah,” I said when I reached him. “I'm just getting off work, and I'm already all sweaty so I thought I'd stop by. I do miss working out.”

“Well, you came to the right place.”

“Doesn't look like you're very busy.”

“Business has been down a bit.”

“I'm sorry. It has got to be tough.”

“It is, but I like helping people.”

“You got somewhere I can change?”

“In back.”

“See you in a bit.”

I walked to the back of the gym where he had pointed and saw a sign for the female changing room and shower. The two elderly women – one walking on a treadmill and the other using a stationary bicycle – got up and headed toward the front as I passed them.

In the back room, I quickly got changed into my workout clothes, which were nothing more than some tight bicycle pants and a loose fitting Run DMC t-shirt which was older than me and had been passed down by my older brother.

Once I was dressed, I headed back to the front where Mike was talking to the two ladies. They looked at me and smiled then waved as they left. I tried to think of something funny to say to break the ice, but I couldn't come up with anything.

“So what's your goal?” he asked.

“Get my Bachelor's degree and then a job as an RN.”

“No, no, I meant for your workouts. Strength training? Weight loss?” I raised an eyebrow. “Not that you need to lose a lot of weight.”

“Good save.” I smiled. “I don't know. Just something basic. I don't have a lot of time.”

“I know, I know. You've been pretty vocal about that and I read you loud and clear.”

Did he understand? Even I wasn't sure what the hell I was really trying to say. Then he jumped into action and walked to the back of the gym. The entire mood changed as he slipped into work mode and told me what he recommended for me.

He started me with stretching. I was surprised when he mirrored me on a mat a few feet away. As we stretched, I couldn't help checking out his body. He was fit and appeared to be the same age as me, maybe a little younger.

After we were both loose, he started barking orders to me while cheering me on. He had so much energy himself that he motivated me. I could see right away why he had his own gym and wanted to be a personal trainer. He had the personality for the job.

The more I exercised, the less I thought about the possibility of dating him. Everything else fled my mind as I tried to keep up with him. Half an hour later, I was out of breath, but I felt good. I knew I would be sore the next day, but it would be worth it if I could keep it up.

“How much for three sessions a week?” I asked.

“On the house.”

“No, I can't let you do that.”

“Try and stop me. I do pro bono work all the time. I live upstairs in this building, and I don't have a lot of expenses.”

I wondered if that was why he only had one of each piece of equipment and not many members, but I was too polite to say anything to him.

“Fair enough. Maybe I can help you with some marketing ideas or something.”

“I thought you were going to be a nurse.”

“A woman can't have more than one skill?” I tilted my head.

“Okay, we will barter. You want to take a shower in back?”

“Yeah...” I said then shut my mouth before I told him I didn't mind if he joined me.

As I went back to the locker room and single shower, my cell phone started to ring with the babysitter's ringtone. I immediately went over to my purse and got it out.

“Hello? What's wrong?”

“Damn, Kim. Why you always have to say that when I call?”

“Because I know you. Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I forgot to tell you this is my last time I can babysit.”

“What? Why?” I knew my life seemed to be going too good.

“I got a higher offer.”

“From who?”

“I don't want to tell you.”

“It's them damn crack dealers, isn't it? You're gonna get picked up messing with those people.”

“They gonna pay me good money.”

I shook my head back and forth. “I'm on my way there now. Stay.”

She would stay until I got back, but I knew I had to get there soon and try to talk her out of not babysitting for me. After I changed into the less sweaty clothes I'd arrived in and gathered my belongings, I walked back up front.

“That was quick,” Mike said as I approached his desk toward the front near the plate glass of what had once been a retail location.

“I got a call from my babysitter. I gotta get home. I'll have to shower later.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I have a few blocks to walk, but I'll be okay.”

“Can I drive you?”

I debated whether or not to tell him my address briefly, but I went with what my gut was telling me. One, I had to get to my apartment quick. And, two, Mike seemed like an okay guy.

“Sure. That would be great.”

“Let's roll.”

He jumped up then grabbed his keys from the desk. Outside, after he locked the front door, we headed around to the back of the building via an alley. I couldn't believe my eyes when he walked up to a lime green seventy six lime green low rider Cutlass.

“This is
not
your car.”

“I'm pretty fly for a white guy, huh?”

I rolled my eyes and walked around to the passenger side. The interior was just as mint as the exterior. He had spent a lot of hours, money or both to get the car in the shape it was in. When he started up the engine, it roared like a beast.

“I'm on Franklin street.”

“Right around the corner, right?”

“Yeah. Blue-green apartments in the thirteen hundred block.”

He pulled out of his parking spot. The car growled its way to the street. One of Drake's newest songs filtered out of the speakers with a faint bass sound pumping. I felt like a hood princess as he drove me to my apartment building.

“You want to come up?”

I figured if I brought a white man into the apartment, Raquel would be freaked out and off her game. With an advantage like that I might be able to convince her not to leave me for more money.

“You sure? Yeah. That would be great.”

We got out of the car, and I noticed a few neighbors looking at the ride. The idea of being a princess from the land of hood faded from my mind as we walked up the stairs to my door. I unlocked it and opened it. Mike followed me in.

“Do you have my money tonight?” Raquel asked before I even had a chance to close the door.

“Calm down. We need to talk about this.”

“I told you they gonna pay me more money.”

“But it's not safe,” I insisted.

“What's the problem?” Mike asked.

“Oh, this girl is about to make a stupid decision and go babysit in a dangerous place for just a little bit more money than I'm giving her.”

“I gotta stack that paper.”

“Quit,” I said. “You're not in a damn rap song.”

Raquel held out her hand. “Well?”

If Mike would've jumped in and tried to flash money, I wouldn't been done with him, but he didn't. He sat back and watched me try to handle the situation on my own. Well, kinda.

“What if I need you for an emergency, 'Quel?”

“Yeah, like tonight,” Mike added.

I glanced over at him.

“We have that dinner date tonight, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. I need you to babysit tonight. How about an extra twenty for an hour or so then you can decide something tomorrow.” She shifted her weight from her right foot to her left. “You know those fools gonna give you another black eye.”

Why wouldn't she listen to me?

“Okay, I can babysit tonight. I got some homework to do and an extra twenty will help.” She held out her hand again.

I dug in my purse and handed her the last fifty dollar bill I had on me. “There. We good?”

“For now.”

I turned to Mike. “Can you let me shower and dress real quick?”

“I can.” Just then, Edward came barreling out of his room at top speed and crashed into Mike's legs. “Hey, little guy,” he said.

As I walked to the closet I shared with my son to get some clothes, I had to smile. Him calling him little guy was basically the white version of me calling Edward little man. Was that a sign? I knew I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me. I was doing pretty good for myself and my son, and I didn't want to mess that up.

When I got out of the shower, I did my hair as best as I could in a hurry. I had decided on a pair of jeans and a nice green sweater I'd just gotten that really showed off my breasts with my new push-up bra. I wanted to give off a relaxed vibe with sensual undertones.

Mike looked at me as I walked out of the bathroom, and he didn't take his eyes off of me as I went into the kitchen where the three of them had gathered at the kitchen table. A bunch of playing cards were spread out all over.

“They got you playing poker, little man?” I asked.

“We were trying to teach him Go Fish, but we ended up making up our own game.”

“I win, mommy!” Edward said then threw two cards down on the table.

“Okay. It's going to be bedtime for you soon. I'll be back in a little bit to tuck you in.”

“I'm a big man. No tuck-in,” he said then crossed his arms across his chest cutely as I was known to do.

I tilted my head to the side and gave him “the look,” and he broke.

“Okay, mommy. I be good.”

Mike and I left with a promise to Raquel that we would be back in an hour or two at the most.

“I have the perfect place,” he said as we walked down to his Cutlass.

“Yeah?”

I liked the idea of him choosing a place. After being in charge at work and at home, I was ready to cede control to a strong man.

“I like it. Not too unhealthy either.”

“You just trying to get me to come see you in your gym more, right?”

He chuckled. “Not at all. Well, okay, you've caught me.”

The restaurant, an Italian one, was nice indeed. I hadn't been to an adult restaurant in a long time. As I tried to pick something to eat, my phone started ringing with the ringtone I had set up for Ron. We had an agreement that because we had a child together we could call the other in the case of an emergency.

Part of me wanted to answer, but I picked up my phone and turned the ringer and vibrations off.

“You mind if I keep this up here in case the babysitter calls?” I asked.

“No, of course not. Someone bugging you?”

“It's my ex. Edward's biological father.” I made sure to use a clinical term for him.

“He's a great kid.”

I stared into Mike's eyes to try to tell if he was lying or not. “I think he's a keeper.”

The waiter arrived, and we ordered. I got Chicken Parmesan, and he got lasagna.

“How long you had the gym?” I asked as I noticed Ron trying to call again.

“About a year now. To be honest, it's been rough going.”