She still wasn’t ready for anything serious, but his dick was heaven sent, and she wouldn’t mind getting it every now and again. A few months after they reconnected, he was shot three times and was no longer able to walk. Fancy stuck by his side as a friend but with her busy schedule, there was only so much she could do. His other women friends nursed him back to health, and they lost touch. Until six months ago when she foolishly, answered his call and once again hooked up with him. It didn’t take long for her to decide that she was a damn fool, and no dick was good enough to deal with a man like Nick, so she once again cut him off, and it wasn’t going over well.
“That’s why you should call the police. You’re so stressed you’re smoking hookah. And you’re a whole doctor. You know it’s not good for you.”
“Neither is dick, and we get that frequently.”
“Who is we? I haven’t had dick in a long time. A long, long time.” Blossom shook her head before finishing off her drink.
“That’s about to be me. I’m over it. I’m sitting up here talking about Nick, and Capo isn’t much better. The man is a rapper.” She frowned. “I’m a freakin’ doctor. Why do I attract men that just be giving it out? You know how embarrassed I’d be to diagnose myself with an STD?”
With a chuckle, Blossom waved the server over because she wanted another drink. “That’s what condoms are for. Bitch, Capo is fine.”
“And that’s the problem. He’s fine, and he has money. No thank you. He’s been asking me to come over for months since I refuse to be seen out in public with him. I finally gave in. He was a gentleman and kept his hands to himself, but he’s been texting me all day. I don’t know, Friend. I think I’m about to take a long break from men.”
“Or you can settle down, get married, and have some babies.” Blossom smiled.
The scowl that adorned Fancy’s face would have made an onlooker think she’d said something disrespectful.
“What? You can’t be a player forever.”
“Who can’t?” Fancy popped her imaginary collar. “I am a lady doctor. I see BS every damn day. Women that have been married for ten years and come in with an STD. Women that get pregnant, and their partner starts out coming with them and by the time I deliver the baby, they aren’t anywhere to be found. Little girls that are way too young to be having sex coming in with issues caused by sex and most times, the man is way too old to even be breathing on them. I’m good,” she finished with a deeper scowl.
Blossom’s hands raised in mock surrender. “Okay, geesh. Don’t shoot the messenger.”
Fancy giggled through a cloud of hookah smoke but before she could respond, the server was back with two more strawberry lemon drops. “Courtesy of the gentleman in the maroon pullover.” She placed Blossom’s drink down first. “And for your friend.”
The order the drinks were presented made Blossom aware that the initial drink was for her. Mister was just real smooth with it and sent a drink for her friend as well.
Strangers sending them drinks in bars, lounges, and clubs was nothing new to either woman. More often than not, Blossom knew she was going to decline giving out her number before she even peeped what the man looked like. She was single and having fun, but Blossom loved her peace. She lived vicariously through Fancy’s crazy stories, and they made her realize that no dick was good enough to come in and disrupt the peace that she’d found. Blossom wasn’t opposed to having fun but when the wrong man was chosen, even fun turned into something that drained her energy and left a bad taste in her mouth.
Both women glanced in the direction of Mr. Maroon Pullover and were pleasantly surprised. Even through a loose fitting pullover, Blossom could tell the muscles were there. He was tall. Solid. The salt and pepper beard he donned made her coochie tingle. Close cut full of waves, smooth dark skin, he was the true definition of an older, distinguished gentleman. One thing Blossom was for sure sick of was younger men trying her. There wasn’t a single thing she could do with any man under the age of thirty-five but tell him to please get the hell out of her face. Blossom’s eyes roamed the length of his frame while she went over a mental checklist. Jeans not sagging. Shoes brand new. Nails short and neat. A simper graced her face when she realized he was deep in conversation with another man. He hadn’t even glanced in her direction to see if she’d accepted the drink. Maybe he was mature or maybe he liked to play games. If he thought Blossom was going to get up out of her seat to walk over and thank him, he had life messed up.
“Oh, he’s handsome. Definitely looks like he’ll talk you through it.”
The comment made Blossom shake her head. “You’re disgusted by men and starting to be turned off from sex but one of the first things you speak of is he looks like he’ll talk you through it. Make it make sense.” Blossom lifted the glassand took a sip of her drink while Fancy’s shoulder hiked into a passive shrug.
“Hey. I’m a work in progress.”
Despite the glass still resting against her full lips, the corners of Blossom’s mouth lifted with a smile. As the sweet but slightly tart beverage slid down her throat, she noticed Maroon Pullover ambling in her direction, and the alcohol almost went down the wrong way. Blossom’s cheeks flushed as she realized that he was even better looking up close.My God, he looks like he could do way more than talk a woman through it.
The gleam in his dark eyes and the confidence in his swagger made Blossom aware that he wasn’t lacking in the self-esteem area at all. In fact, she was willing to bet money that he was arrogant. Slightly cocky could be cute. That annoying-ass arrogant shit would get him shot down quick. She didn’t have the time or the energy. Ego stroking was no longer an option for her after she did it for so many years with her ex.
As he approached the table, a small grin made the corners of his eyes crinkle. “My name is Maurice, but my friends call me Tech. I saw you at the game last night. Nice win. I’m not sure if I believe in coincidences, so when I saw you in here tonight, I had to send you a drink.”
Straight white teeth. Cologne that was subtle but commanding at the same time. The man was perfection and Blossom knew that more often than not, the perfection part was an illusion. The reality check was never an easy one, and she was entirely too old for bullshit. However, something about the man standing before her piqued her interest. The hardening of her nipples along with the slight contracting of her yoni made Tech the first stranger to ever evoke that kind of reaction from her. Deep down, Blossom knew she should have been running, but maybe Fancy and all of her craziness had rubbed off on her. The red flags were the things gaining her attention.
“Thank you for the drink and for appreciating the game.” Blossom gave a slight head nod, and the sparkle in Tech’s eyes almost made her bite her lip, but she caught herself.
“Are you single, Ms. Rivers?”
It wasn’t unusual for strangers to know her full name. Especially if they watched basketball. “Yes, I am.” Blossom surprised herself with how fast she answered him. Turning down the advances of handsome men wasn’t foreign to her. Blossom was very selective with who she gave her time to and most times, everybody got a hard no from her.
“I just have one question for you, and I’ll get out of your hair and let you enjoy your evening. Can I have your number? I don’t want to jump straight into asking you out on a date because you don’t know me. After a few conversations you can decide if you feel comfortable enough to go out with me. And I’m not one of those when can I see you niggas. I know how to properly court a woman.”
One thing Blossom liked to do was keep a poker face with men. She despised wearing her heart on her sleeve or even allowing them to be able to read her, but she couldn’t hide the fact that she was impressed. Tech was very smooth. He most certainly had to be trouble. He probably had ten baby mamas, a few felonies, maybe lived with his mother. Something had to be wrong but rather than following her gut, Blossom’s lips parted, and she rattled her number off to him.
“I’ll be in touch.” First, he nodded at Blossom then Fancy before walking back to his friend.
Fancy’s brows hiked so high, they almost disappeared into her hairline. “Baby, that man will have you putting cars in your name for him.”
