Selena was really pissed. Tech doubted that she still loved him after all those years. Whether he went back to selling drugs or getting money the legit way, she knew Tech wasn’t a slouch. Selena was certain that once he came home and got on his shit, he’d go right back to living the kind of life he was before he got locked up. Selena wanted in on that money, and he didn’t have anything for her.
Tech had just flipped the lambchops when Blossom texted and let him know she was on the way. A sexy ass woman that could play ball, had a great career, she was mature, and didn’t want any more kids. He couldn’t ask for anything better. Dating wasn’t supposed to be at the forefront of his mind, but Tech was human, and he had needs.
After taking the asparagus out of the pan, Tech fixed himself another drink. Three sips in, he got an alert that Blossom was outside. He entered the code to let her in the lobby and continued sipping his drink until the doorbell rang. When he opened the door and observed Blossom standing there dressed in tight black jeans with rips in the knees and a black fitted tee with Muhammad Ali on the front, his dick jumped. The braids were gone, and her thick hair was in a fresh blow out and fell past her shoulders.
There was no makeup on her face, and she was still as beautiful as ever. “What’s up, Pretty Lady?”
Blossom smiled bashfully while crossing the threshold of his home. Her eyes darted around the space, and she was thoroughly impressed. Tech didn’t hide the fact that the condo wasn’t purchased by him, and Blossom didn’t hold it against him. He had been away for eleven years. She was just happythat he had a place to live and wasn’t on the prowl for a woman to move in with. Of course, she still had to feel him out. Blossom didn’t want to be negative, but she refused to live in the land of delusion. There was a chance that Tech was telling her everything that sounded good and politically correct, but he would end up doing the exact opposite. Only time would tell.
“Hi. It smells really good in here. Let me find out.”
“What is it that you need to find out?” His timbre was low and raspy. The flirtatious tone, along with the way his orbs roamed the length of her frame, made Blossom’s stomach quake. It had been about six months since she had sex with Ty.
Blossom was far from a nympho, but she wasn’t a prude either. About once a week, her body reminded her in some way that she was deprived of the affection of a man, but she refused to scratch the itch with Ty or any other man that didn’t deserve to slide up in her honeypot.
“That you can burn in the kitchen.”
“Oh, you’re about to find that out for sure. Come on in the kitchen, so you can watch me work. This ain’t no I got someone else to cook for me, and I’m going to front like I did the work.”
The smell of marijuana mingled with the aroma of the food and the plug-ins that were located throughout the condo. The spacious unit was very nicely decorated, and it was spotless. “You live alone?” she inquired while following him into the kitchen.
“Yes. This is my son’s condo. He recently had a child, and he moved into a house. I kept telling him that he didn’t have to keep this place just for me, and he could sell it if he wanted to. My boys are just as bullheaded as me. No matter how much I tell them it’s not their responsibility to make sure I’m good, they don’t stop.” Tech shook his head as he removed the lambchops from the pan.
Cedric didn’t cook, but Blossom had never cared. Watching as Tech moved around the kitchen was turning her on. She had no idea that a man being domestic was an act that could make her kitty purr.
“That shows how much they love you. You must have raised them right.”
“I damn sure tried. You want something to drink? There’s a full bar in the living room. If you don’t want liquor, there’s wine, and if you don’t want alcohol period, I have Sprite, tea, fruit punch, water, and apple juice.”
“I’ll take a look on the bar and see the options.”
Blossom felt comfortable in the condo with Tech, and that was saying a lot. He was muscular, strong, and fresh out of prison. If something happened to her inside that condo, and she made it out alive, everyone would tell her it was her fault, and she was an idiot. Confidence in her decision made her heart beat just a little faster as she advanced toward the bar.
Inhaling through her nose, Blossom attempted to calm her nerves. Two of this man’s sons were professional athletes. He had her in a condo that had a lobby, doorman, and she was sure cost more than a million dollars. He’d be a fool to do anything to her. Right?
Blossom’s gaze landed on a pricy bottle of tequila, and she decided that she’d indulge. After pouring herself the equivalent of two shots and chasing it with a bit of pineapple juice, she took a sip and sauntered back into the kitchen. Tech had a black plate in his hand, and he was placing food onto it. Everything looked absolutely delicious, and her mouth watered.
Taking another sip, she sat down at the table, and he looked over at her. “You want one lamb chop or two?”
“Um, two. I’m starving, and they look delicious. Who taught you how to cook?”
“Nobody, really. I started cooking for myself when I was thirteen, and I just tried different things. Trial and error. My mother was a great cook, but after my father got sick and couldn’t work, she began working two jobs. Between taking care of him and working sixty hours a week, she didn’t feel like cooking all the time, so I learned to cook for me and my pops. He passed when I was sixteen. My mother was depressed and let one of her jobs go. We were struggling financially, so I lied and told her I got a job, and I started selling drugs.”
Tech set the plate in front of her. The steam and the aroma wafting off the food had Blossom’s gut churning.
“I got knee-deep in the streets. When I started bringing money home, and she could stress a little less, she got back into cooking. I was gone so much, we rarely saw each other, so sometimes on Sunday, I’d sit in the kitchen and talk to her while she cooked. That was another way I picked stuff up.”
“Did she ever find out you weren’t really working a job?” Blossom asked as he fixed his plate. She took a few more sips of her drink, and Blossom could tell she was drinking the good stuff.
The alcohol was super smooth. It didn’t even taste like she was drinking liquor, but the way her body warmed up, and the slight tingle she felt, made her aware that she was indeed tipsy, and she’d taken less than ten sips. The beverage aided in loosening her up, so as Tech ambled toward the table, she took another large gulp. The living room and the kitchen of the condo had floor-to-ceiling windows. Tech lived on the sixteenth floor, so the view was impeccable. The city’s skyline and tall buildings in the vicinity provided a backdrop that was sexy and a cool-ass vibe. The tequila coursing through her veins had a lazy grin inching across her face, and Blossom didn’t even know what she was smiling at.
Once Tech was seated, he reached for Blossom’s hand. She placed her hand inside his and when he dropped his head, she followed suit.
“Lord, thank you for the food that we are about to receive. Please let it nourish our bodies. Thank you for the home I was able to cook the food in and thank you for good health. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
“Amen.”
Tech lifted his glass and took a sip of his drink. Blossom did the same. Anxiously, she grabbed a fork and chose a piece of candied yam to taste, first. “Oh my God,” she murmured as the sweet potato basically melted on her tongue. “This is so freakin’ good.” And she wasn’t exaggerating. Her yams had never tasted that good.
