Smoke (8 page)

“Yes we are friends.”

“Then ask her why she can’t decide what she wants? It ain’t just me stringing her along, but her not knowing if she wants to be with me, or listen to her damn family. I gotta find Sandra.”

Gwen shook her head letting him leave without pushing the issue. Returning her attention to Jonathan, she sighed and said, “
God, you never said it would be this hard
raising these two boys
.”

*****

Jonathan and Gabrielle went outside for fresh air. Guests were beginning to leave the party as time ticked away. Gabrielle tightened the wrap around her arms to keep warm. The weather had turned chilly and felt more like a normal March evening should feel instead of the balmy 70-degree day it had reached.

Jonathan removed his suit jacket slipping it around her shoulders. “Are you warmer now?”

“Yes, but now you’re going to freeze.”

“Nah, this is perfect weather. I keep my apartment this cold.”

“Where do you live, Jonathan?”

“On the Westside of Cleveland not far from the fire station.”

“What is your place like?”

“Why describe it when I can show it to you. Wanna take a ride?”

Gabrielle did want to take ride and see his apartment. She was having fun and did not want it to end so soon, but, she didn’t want to seem easy or eager to be with him, either. She thought if the two of them were to go to his place at this hour of night, he would expect more than just a tour, and after months with no sexual contact, she couldn’t trust herself to be alone with him.

“I’m closer to home if I leave from here; maybe some other time.”

He licked his lips “Fine. How about I take you to breakfast in the morning? I’ll even come get you.”

“Mm, I have church.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“You would come to church with me?”

“I admit I have sinned but I do believe in God. The big guy answered my prayers tonight.”

She laughed. “How—did you pray Anthony would get stuck with the smelly

lady?”

Jonathan removed every expression from his face and leaned down closer to her.

Tilting her chin with the tips of his fingers, he touched his lips to hers. When she didn’t pull away, he pressed the kiss tighter. Passing his tongue into her warm mouth, she allowed him to play with her tongue. The tasting, teasing and mingling of their tongues activated her launch system as well as his.

Her arms went around his neck drawing him closer. Their noses bumped before finding a comfortable position. With eager lips, Jonathan kissed, her chin, cheeks the side of her sweet mouth before returning to devour her lips. Weaving her fingers through his soft hair, Gabrielle sucked in a breath, diving back into the passionate kiss; forgetting where they were.

Their bodies were close. Jonathan could not stop the surge of passion ripping through him, awakening every membrane in his body. Gabrielle felt him growing against her abdomen and pulled away from the kiss. She didn’t want to start anything she wasn’t willing to finish.

“Jonathan, we have to stop,” she said pulling away adjusting the jacket around her shoulders.

Still feeling the sting from the kiss, he wiped away any lipstick residue from his mouth. In a deep husky voice said, “Yeah, this is not the place to get cozy.”

“It’s late. I’m going home and take a nice cool shower and go to bed.”

“Why do that when there is a Marriott around the corner?” Her body stance made him retract his words. “Too soon to make that kind of joke; I’ll walk you to your car.”

Crossing the street, she opened the car door using it as a partition between them.

“I had fun tonight.”

“Thanks for hanging with me for the evening. I promise when I take you on a date, I will do it right. I’ll pick you up and make sure you get home safe.”

Her index finger outlined his strong jaw. “I’ll call when I’m home to let you know I’m safe.”

“Don’t forget.” He leaned over the door placing a light kiss on her lips.

Gabrielle smiled returning his jacket before getting in the car and starting the ignition. He stepped on the curb and watched her drive off. Unloosening his tie, he walked to his truck parked a few feet away digging in his pockets for the keys. Anthony was leaning against the hood with his arms folded.

“Congratulations, you won this round,” he said clapping his hands lightly.

“Go to hell, Anthony. I told you this ain’t a game.”

“I’m joking with you, quit being so sensitive. I’m not blind and can see she wants you.”

“She’s being cautious for some reason. The kiss was sweet and I could tell she wanted more.”

“She just met you; give her a minute to get used to you.”

“You might be right. We haven’t really spent any time alone to talk to get to know each other.”

“It’s a damn good thing you weren’t alone. I thought I was going to have to turn the hose on y’all to break up that kiss.”

“We just got caught in a moment. I’m not planning on sleeping with her on the first few dates.”

“I’m just saying—“

Jonathan turned angry. “I know what you’re saying and I’m putting it on record, I’m not like that anymore! Gabrielle is the only woman that will have everything I own; which includes my faithfulness.”

“Be careful, Jon. She hasn’t proven to you she deserves it. Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve and get it broken.”

“I get what you’re saying. So, um, how was your evening with Sandra?”

“I don’t know where it’s going. She is looking for a relationship and I don’t know if I’m the one to handle it.”

“Is it because of Amira? Be glad she only has the one kid and she is a good kid.”

“Nah, it’s not because of her kid.”

“Then what’s holding you back, playa?”

Anthony shook his head. “That stinking ass perfume she wears. The shit is killing me, man!”

Jonathan laughed. “Ask Gwen to buy a bottle of good stuff and give it to her as a gift. If she wears what you like at least you can be near her.”

“I’m gonna have to wait a month to even do that.”

Getting in his truck Jonathan asked. “Should I even ask why?”

“You can but you already know the answer. I can’t smell anything but that stinking shit! Hell, it will take a month for my damn nose to be able to smell anything different!”

“Anthony, would you give her a shot if she changed her smelly ways?”

He nodded. “I might. Lord knows she has the assets to keep me interested.” He banged his hand on the hood of the truck. “Get home, bro. Are you playing basketball tomorrow with Nick and me?”

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to play but I’ll be there.”

“Good, cuz you know I’m gonna bust his chops about his honey again.”

“She is different. She had the nerve to think I was gay.”

“Get the hell outta here! Serious, Jon, where does he find them? Is there a store that sells women short of a full stack?”

“In her defense, to date Nick, she would have to be short of a full stack. I’m outta here,” he said as his cellphone rang.

Jonathan hung his gym bag in the locker after changing. He decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to play basketball with his ribs still aching, but would walk the treadmill to get in a light workout and try to run a few laps around the track to see if he would get winded or stir up any coughing.

Nick popped from behind the locker door handing him an envelope. “Here and keep it on the down low.”

“What is it?” He asked putting it on the shelf in the locker.

“I’m throwing a poker party and it’s going to be off the hook!”

“Nick, since when is playing poker hot?”

“I got strippers coming to entertain, baby! So bring extra dollars.”

“Strippers at a poker game—you are getting odder by the day. Why are you whispering about it? “

“I didn’t give Anthony an invite to the party.”

“We’re supposed to be boys, Nick. Why are you excluding him from stuff?”

“I’m evolving and moving in different directions; Anthony is still on the silly shit.”

“Do you hear yourself? You’re having strippers at a poker game—how much sillier can you get than that? And, I’m not coming if you don’t invite Anthony.”

“See, I knew you were closer to him than me! That’s why you’re doing the shit you’re doing now.”

“We are closer because I’ve known him longer. Damn, man, grow up, and quit acting like this is high school!”

“Grow up! That’s your answer for everything. I bet if you didn’t hang out with his family so much you wouldn’t be switching races.”

Jonathan’s eyes blazed as he grabbed Nick around the neck. “I told you not to say that shit to me! Nobody influences what I do!”

Nick grabbed Jonathan’s wrist. “Let go of me!”

He removed his hand from around his throat. “You need to stop hanging out with whatever racist ass people are influencing you! Open your eyes to what’s happening to you!”

“They are wide open. You didn’t start your dark escapades until you got tight with Anthony. I would hook us up with women all the time and now my women ain’t good enough for you.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? This ain’t new for me. It took me a while to go after what I wanted because of the fear of rejection.”

“Fear of rejection? You had a fear of rejection from a woman….yeah right.”

“Yeah I did—just like you fear being rejected by a woman with a brain. But, to reiterate an old topic, I don’t have problems with women of any kind; I love them all, but I have my preferences.”

“I have preferences too!” Nick snorted. “And, I don’t fear smart women.”

Slamming the locker door shut, he frowned. “Prove it, Nick. I dare you to date a woman that can count past three.”

“This ain’t about me but you!”

“Wrong again, it’s about you and your bigoted way of thinking lately, and until you change, there is no need for us to talk anymore unless it has to do with work.”

Exiting the locker room, hot air filled Jonathan’s cheeks as he took the stairs to the weight room. His cellphone rang in the pocket of his basketball shorts. “Yeah,” he snapped meanly.

“Hey, did I catch you at a bad time?”

The sultry and desirable tone of Gabrielle’s voice filled his ear. “No, I just had a few words with an idiot but I’m cool. I thought you would be in church this morning.”

“I overslept and didn’t make it. What are you doing?”

He rested against the railing of the stairs to talk on the phone. “I’m at the gym right now.”

”Jonathan, has your doctor released you to exercise?”

“I’m not lifting weights or anything—I’m walking the treadmill and maybe going for a jog around the track. I gotta keep in shape.” The long pause on the line heightened his interest. “If you aren’t in church, what are your plans for today?”

“I was thinking I would make brunch for us at my place, and you could bring a movie
and a nice bottle of wine for us to enjoy.”

A smile broke across his face taking his anger for Nick away. “Let me make sure I’m talking to the right Gabrielle King before I accept the invitation.”

“I’m the one and only. Well, why don’t you think it over and call me back after you’re
done at the gym.”

“The gym can wait; where do you live?” He asked returning to the locker room.

“Got it; I’ll see you shortly.” He clicked off the phone and hurriedly dressed.

“Where you going, man?” Anthony came through the door bouncing a

basketball.

“Gabrielle called and invited me to brunch at her place.”

“Sweet—she’s warming up to you.”

“The fact she made the first move could mean she is. Anthony, I owe you for being the better man and letting me pursue this.”

“Who am I to stand in the way of true love? Are you packing?”

Jonathan narrowed his brow. “What?”

“You know! Do you have packing, shields—condoms, man!”

“Not here but we’re only having brunch; I don’t want to rush things with her.”

Anthony went to his locker pulling out a box. “Take these just in case. You might be taking things slow but she might have other ideas on her mind.”

Jonathan took two off the strip handing Anthony the box. “I’ll take two just in case.”

Anthony shook his head giving him the rest of the strip. “You gotta learn to be prepared. What if she gets feisty after the first two times, then what?”

Hesitantly he took the strip tucking it in his gym bag. “I won’t ask why you keep these in your gym locker, but thanks.”

“Have you seen the women that come in this place?”

“Yeah and you have to stop looking at them; you have a woman now,” he joked.

“What I have is a headache whenever she’s around. Have fun at brunch and do everything I would do.”

“Yeah—I’ll make sure to eat all the grapes from the fruit bowl.”

*****

Happy with the outcome she lowered the oven temperature and went to the bathroom to finish curling her hair.

Her reflection in the mirror showed a happy person. She hadn’t entertained a man in months and couldn’t wait for Jonathan to arrive. He had broken her will. He had managed to cut through her wall and bring her back to life with one kiss. She could only imagine what else he could do if they actually had sex. She felt herself moisten at the mere thought and shook the image from her head.

Going into the bedroom, she threw off her robe and slipped into a cream-colored silk camisole that showed off her perky breast. Taking a lacy black thong from the drawer, she pulled them up her freshly waxed legs adjusting them in place. A pair of denim blue skinny jeans finished her look. She admired her look in the mirror. She wasn’t rail thin but shapely thin. She stood 5 foot 7 inches tall and weighed 130

pounds. Her hips were her best asset with the sexy plumpness that had men doing a double take. While her breasts were her weakest feature, they were perky, but weren’t as big as she would like. Blessed with her mother’s genes, she filled a 32C-cup and would never fill anything larger without implants.