“I’m not on birth control, Demi. Thank God I’m not ovulating, but I just thought you should know,” Charlie said, turning to him.
“I’ma need you to get on something, Bird, cuz I can’t pull out of that and I don’t want nothing between me and you,” he panted.
She nodded as he grabbed the brand new loofah that sat in the shower.
They showered, extra-long, talking, about least favorites this time. Food. Places they had been. Holidays. Every detail thatwas normally learned over time, they squeezed into this moment in their eagerness to know one another.
“How the fuck you hate Christmas?” he asked.
“I haven’t had a good one in a long time,” she answered, shrugging.
“I’ma have to change that then, Bird,” he whispered, trapping her against the wall. He pressed his nose to hers and rubbed his forehead to hers. So much touching. In the shower, Demi was normal. When he was sure she was clean, she could see his relief. He had no limits under the stream of water, even though it was running cold.
“Can we be normal and get out now? Look at my fingers,” Charlie laughed, holding up wrinkled skin. He bit one and a titter fell from her lips. Since when did she even laugh this much?
He turned off the water and they went to the bedroom.
He knew he wasn’t going home tonight. Probably not for a couple nights. He couldn’t. His new addiction wouldn’t allow it.
“Demi, why did you buy me a condo?” Charlie asked as she sat on the opposite side of the bed, applying lotion to her legs. Charlie was surprised at the way he had moved her in effortlessly. He hadn’t missed a single detail. It was completely stocked. From her favorite foods, to the fragrance she wore, to the lotion bottle in her hands. Her every need had been attended to. Demi stood and reached across the mattress, grabbing her ankles, snatching her across the short distance. Charlie yelped in surprise.
“Hand me the lotion,” he said. She did and he took his time rubbing her down, starting at her feet and working his way up.
“I never understood why people put this shit on their skin after getting out the shower. You wash the day off you and then put some shit right back on you. It makes me feel like I’m covered in dirt,” he said.
“Everything makes you feel like you’re dirty,” Charlie said. “I swear this shit better not be hereditary. I don’t want a bunch of dry-skinned, weird-ass babies.”
His hands stopped, mid-thigh. She felt the energy in the room change.
“That scares you? You don’t want kids?” she asked.
Demi’s son flashed through his mind and he lowered his head. He knew he should tell her. It was the perfect opportunity to be honest with her, but if he told her about DJ, he would have to tell her about Lauren. She would undoubtedly ask questions about the mother of his child and then everything they shared would change. Even if it didn’t end, it would be different, and he just wanted more of what she had given him thus far.
I’ma tell her. Just not tonight.
“Kids ain’t a problem, Charlie,” he answered. “You moving real fast, though.”
Charlie felt the speedbump they had hit, and confusion wore her.
“Moving too fast? Really? Coming from the man who bought me a condo. You just learned my last name today!”
He shook his head and put the lotion on the nightstand, wiping the residue off his hands. “I can sell a crib. I can’t sell a kid.”
Charlie laughed, her bold voice filling the space between the walls, making it come alive, making it feel like theirs. He would remember that laugh one day, remember the smile, the sex, the girl because he knew it was only a matter of time before she was a thing of the past.
“So, why did you do it?” she asked.
“Because I want you around, Bird. I want the responsibility of killing your spiders and taking out your fucking trash and filling up your gas tank. I fuck with you. I want access without askingand I want every other nigga on freeze. So, I got to take care of you. Make you mine,” he replied as he climbed in bed beside her.
“Not because you’re in love with me?” she asked. “Shouldn’t that be a reason?”
“That’s the main one,” he replied, kissing her nose.
The bedroom door creaked open as Bails’ big, blocky head peered in.
“Come here, Bails,” Charlie said, climbing out the bed and picking up the dog as Demi’s face screwed.
“You bet not put his big ass in this...”
