I chuckled. “That’s not what I asked you, Princess. If you could take clients in there, would you?”
She sank deeper into her seat, brushing her leg against mine. I tried not to think about having those thick muthafuckas wrapped around my face during our drunk rendezvous last night. If I focused on that, this conversation would be forgotten. I also didn’t want her to feel like I was using her or anything like that. El was a good woman, and the same way I was preachinghow she needed to be respected at work, the same applied to her personal life. I wouldn’t cross any lines she didn’t want me to.
She blessed me with her beautiful smile when I wiped away more of her tears. “If I could start my own business, then I would.” I nodded while rubbing my hands together. My mind was already doing the numbers, trying to figure out how I could put this together for her. “But I’ll only take clients in the shed under one condition.”
I paused my game, planning to focus on her. “What’s that?”
She swallowed a mouthful of air, then said the unexpected. “You move into the guest room.”
“Huh?”
She giggled innocently. “Don’t think I’m crazy, but I’ve never felt safer than I did after the way you protected me at the shop. You need a place to stay, and I have the space.” She shrugged like it was simple math, when it really sounded like that ‘girl math’ shit I heard about.
“Nah, I don’t want to crowd your space, Princess. I’ma be alright.”
She took my hands into hers. “I want to. Star put you in a fucked-up position. If you have my back, then I have yours while you get on your feet.” Her voice was so sweet, I found myself leaning closer as if I could inhale it.
“Rockel . . .”
“You cut the grass,” she noted randomly. “And took out the trash.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I figured I would be useful.” When she woke up this morning to get ready for work, she told me I could stay until she got back. I was an active man and could never sit still for long, so I found things to do to keep me busy.
She tightened her grip on my hands. I loved the way they fit into my bigger ones like a puzzle piece. When I made the mistake of returning my eyes to hers, I swear I saw my future intheir brown depths. After what Star did to me, I should’ve been guarded, but around El, I couldn’t do it. The way she opened up her home to me made me trust her wholeheartedly. Not to mention, this was the girl I thought I couldn’t have. After the night we had together, I wouldn’t mind getting to know her better.
“You’ve been very useful,” she joked. “Listen, I’m not going to force you into anything, and I might be a little crazy for even suggesting it, but I really think you should consider it. What do you have to lose?”
The reality of the answer to her question being nothing slammed into me like a freight train. Leaning closer to her, I asked, “You sure?” She matched my energy by leaning close too.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
This girl was so fucking dangerous. I needed to be careful. “Aight, cool. I’ll take the guest room.”
She clapped her hands excitedly. “Welcome home, Perfect.” Without warning, she wrapped her arms around me in a hug I didn’t even realize I needed. I was frozen for a second because of the way hearinghomeroll off her tongue shifted some shit around in me. I swear, Star and her treachery were forgotten as I swallowed El in my embrace.
I inhaled deeply and fell in love with the vanilla scent on her skin. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She released me and smiled. “Now, what were you over there doing when I came in?”
I laughed. “Cooking you some dinner.”
She nodded and licked her lips. “Yeah, I think this arrangement is going to work out just fine.”
Two weeks later. . .
The sunlight peeking through the curtains interrupted my deep sleep and brought me into reality. I patted the bed looking for his warmth but came up empty. I lifted my head to find myself all alone in bed. After another night of sneaking into Perfect’s bedroom to bounce on his dick, I expected to wake up cuddled next to him. Instead, I was left only with his natural scent all over his covers and a sore center.
I plopped back down, burying my face in his pillows. When I offered to let him move in, it was not with the intention of taking advantage of his good dick like this. In less than a month, he’d damn near turned me into a fiend. I finally understood what the girls were always joking about when it came to that fresh-out-the-penitentiary dick ’cause Perfect was blessed. It wasn’t even that he was the type of man who loved pussy. I quite literally never asked for head; he always went there first and slurped me up like a damn oyster. A shiver shot down my spine just thinking about it.
Sitting up, I figured I should get my day started, and the need to empty my bladder was heavy. I paused when I saw my robe lying at the end of his bed, along with a bottle of water and my slippers sitting on the floor. I melted on the spot because Port was such a thoughtful and kind man. I couldn’t fathom why Star would fumble a man like him, but at the same time, I was glad she did.
He was always doing things like that. He would put my towel in the dryer if he heard me in the shower so it would be like a warm hug when I got out. I never had to ask him to take out the trash or help me out around the house. Even when I went out on my hot-girl walks, I would return to a cold bottle of water waiting for me. That was the type of devotion women prayed for, and here he was, willingly giving it to me. I didn’t know what made him walk into the shop that day, but I was grateful.
I picked up the bottle of water and took a swig of it to rid myself of cotton mouth. I slid my robe on, then my feet into my slippers before shuffling out of his room. My first stop was the bathroom to handle my hygiene. When my breath was fresh and my face was shining like a donut, I walked through the house searching for him.
When I made it into the kitchen, I finally found him. Walking to the window above the sink, I watched Perfect and my father working on my barbering shed in the backyard. I could admit that when Perfect made the suggestion, I thought he was just talking, but no. The man literally got started on it the next day. Once I told my dad what he was up to, he offered his support. I hadn’t put a dime into the renovation. I wasn’t sure wherePerfect got the money from, but he funded the entire cost for things my father didn’t have on hand. I couldn’t even tell you what the ticket was, because he wouldn’t let me in on it.
According to Perfect, my only assignment was to focus on my branding, ordering my supplies, and promoting what was coming on my social media. I pulled my robe tighter around my body, watching them talk and laugh like old friends. Perfect had a charm that would reel anyone in. We were all just lucky enough to be in his orbit.
