A few seconds later, as we were walking to the porch, the door opened and Eriss stepped out. She had on a Crown Heart shirt and some leggings. Her hair was tied up, and she sported a bare face.
Ermias ran over to her and they hugged each other like they had been a part for months.
“Damn, can I get one of those hugs?” I asked, after Ermias had run inside.
She surprised me by wrapping her arms around me. My free hand slid to her ass, gripping a handful. Eriss let me go, and I followed her inside. The scent of fried food caused my stomach to rumble. Even though I had eaten hours earlier, the smell of chicken frying was right up my alley.
“Mama!” Ermias yelled from somewhere in the house.
“Yes, son?” she answered.
“Can big dawg stay the night? I wanted to stay at his house, but he said you wouldn’t want to drive in the morning.”
Our eyes met. I winked at her, causing her face to tint red.
“Oh…um…I mean…If he wants to,” Eriss stammered.
“I sure do,” I said with my hands in my pockets and a big grin on my face. “I sure fuckin’ do.” She looked away. “I’ma check this security system out. Gotta make sure my babies are good when I’m not around.”
Later that night, Ermias bathed and was asleep, I’d grabbed my bag from my truck and sat on the porch to smoke. I hadn’t rolled up in days. The door opened as I blew out smoke, turning my head just a little to see Eriss.
“What are we doing?” she asked, hugging her arms around her body. It wasn’t cold out.
I took another puff. “Shit, it ain’t clear, yet, baby?”
She moved down one step and sat beside me, one knee knocking into mine. I took another pull and angled my face toward the yard so I wouldn’t blow smoke in her direction.
“I mean…I can tell what your intentions are, but what is it?”
I let out a rough chuckle. “I’ma go wit’ the flow type of nigga. I can tell you this, I enjoy being around you and Ermias.”
I wasn’t gon to tell her ‘bout our conversation earlier when he was sad about that nigga not spending time with him. Fuck he was trying to hold him from Eriss fo’ then? Petty shit. Petty ‘cause he couldn’t have her ass. Shit, she was mine now.Theywere mine. I wasn’t coming up off them either when I really do get them.
“The way I kissed you… The way I…” I paused to lick my lips as if I could still taste her.
“You say that now,” she finally said, “but you don’t even do relationships. You said that yourself.”
“True,” I admitted. I took another slow drag, then ashed the blunt out on the step and set it aside. “Didn’t mean I wouldn’t change my mind when the right woman came along. I just…” I looked her in her eyes. “I ain’t think I’ll meet her this fast.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The soft trill of crickets and cars passing by were the only sounds. Eriss let out a small breath.
“I don’t want to let you in and then you decide that this isn’t what you want. I can’t let Ermias get used to you and then have to watch you leave,” she whispered.
I shifted my body, leaning my forearms on my thighs as her words excavated in my brain.
“I hear you, baby. I can’t promise you forever tonight, but I can put that on everything I love that I’m not playin’ wit’ you. I swear I ain’t. I wouldn’t even play wit’ yo’ heart like that, Eriss. I do want you to be mine, though.” I poured my heart out right there.
Her lips parted, not expecting all of that. Eriss looked out in the street instead of me. I didn’t say shit. Whatever was on her mind, I wanted to hear.
“I’m scared,” she murmured.
“And I get that. Ain’t none wrong wit’ being scared…with the wrong person. Shit, I ain’t him.” My brows crinkled a little. I wasn’t annoyed, but I wanted Eriss to know I wasn’t them peon niggas she fucked wit’ in the past that hurt her. I would never. “You can doubt me all you want, pretty girl, but my actions line up wit’ my words. I don’t even want anybody else, and damn sure won’t hurt you and my homeboy. He might shoot me wit’ his water gun if I tried.”
Together, we laughed. I stood, grabbing my unfinished blunt and holding my other hand out to Eriss. I pulled her into me, gripping the front of her neck. When she moaned, my dick twitched.
“I’ma show you, aight?” I lightly squeezed her neck. Eriss nodded. I leaned my head down and pecked her soft lips a few times. “Just give me a chance. Open up to me, aight?” She nodded again.
I let Eriss’ neck go and saw the disappointment in her face. I snickered and licked my lips, savoring her taste.
