We left around eight, in the middle of the last performer, to avoid some of that traffic. Thankfully the VIP parking lot had a seamless, non-convoluted exit and we got out quickly. Because we had breakfast before the festival and indulged in seafood nachos and po’boys there, neither of us was hungry. We came straight back to his house. While he showered, I took a bath, soaked my feet, and talked to Kandi. We had to be messy for a minute because some of those outfits today had been a hot ass mess. I also had to get her honest thoughts on Xai.
He fits so well with my girls and they are crazy about him. When I checked on them, they both insisted on talking to him too. That made my entire heart smile. He considers them in everything we do, and because he knows they are my everything, he doesn’t try to monopolize my time. Instead, he’s considerate and patient. Every day, I find myself falling for this man, and even though I know my feelings are real, Kandi’s opinion carries weight. I was beyond excited when I got her stamp of approval. It was just four words, but it was just what I needed. “Bitch, I love him.”
As his knuckles skillfully knead my arch, he asks, “You sure you’re not hungry?”
“Positive. After this massage, I just want to crawl under this cover, climb on you, and relax until I fall asleep.”
“Can I rub your ass while you’re on me?” he asks and I just laugh.
“You can rub all of me,” I admit.
For another fifteen glorious minutes, he treats my feet, and by the time he’s done, they feel brand new. We both ease off his bed. While he grabs a bottle of water for me and an Energized Sports for himself, I turn down the bed and slide in. I also turn on the TV and find the movie we didn’t watch last night.
“Damn,” he says, standing at the door.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Ain’t shit wrong. It’s all right. Seeing you waiting in my bed for me just hit.”
He steps toward the bed, leans in, and kisses my breath away. Then he hands me my water and joins me in bed. True to his word, he rubs my ass, hips, and back as we watch the movie and eventually fade to sleep. A few hours later, the back-to-back chiming of his doorbell and excessive banging on his door jars us from our sleep.
“The fuck?” he groans groggily as he reaches for his phone. He opens it and looks at the front door cameras. “Peaches? What the fuck?” He eases up and out of the bed. “That’s Kadean’s girl. Let me get it,” he says and I sit up. “Nah, you stay here. Sleep. I got her.”
He walks to his armoire and grabs a pair of sweats. He pulls them over his boxers then storms out of the room. My curiosity is greater than most. Basically, I’m nosy as hell. I get up, grab a shirt out of his armoire, then tiptoe to the theater room to eavesdrop. Its openness makes it easier.
“What’s up, Peaches?” he asks, a little annoyance in his baritone.
“I’ve been blowing you up!” she yells. Her voice sounds frantic and on the verge of tears.
“What’s wrong?’ he repeats, more calmly this time.
“Kadean was arrested and he’s trying to call you.”
“What! Arrested!” his voice booms and echoes off the walls, almost startling me.
“What’s wrong with your phone?” she cries.
“It was on… Ay, that doesn’t matter. What do you mean he got arrested? When? For what?”
“I don’t know everything. He’s about to call again so he can talk to you. This is his last call. That’s why I came over here. Idon’t know. He’s in Florida and in jail. That’s all he’s told me,” she rambles.
“Florida!” Xai booms and I swear I feel it.
“Yeah,” she begins but her phone rings. “It’s him again.”
She answers on speaker because the next thing I hear is a recording stating it’s a collect call from an inmate in Polk County jail. She presses a button and a male voice barks, “Did you get him to answer?”
“Yeah. I’m at his hou—” she begins but Xai interrupts.
“What the fuck happened? Florida? Were you driving? What?” Xai fires off and I release a heavy sigh.
“Dutch asked me to ride with him to pick up the box truck he bought,” Kadean starts.
“I should have known it was that clown,” Xai says and Kadean doesn’t comment. He just keeps going.
“We got it. He was tired driving back, so shit, we didn’t want to stop, so I drove. We got pulled over and they say the truck was stolen. It wasn’t though.”
“I bet,” Xai grunts.
