“Only if you let me take you out.”
“Rage,” I sighed.
“Okay well if I can’t take you out on a date run me my money,” he extended his hand palm up, but I knew he was joking.
“I have a son,” I blurted out. “He’s three months old.”
The expression on Rage’s face wasn’t one that I could read. “Oh damn. That’s what’s up. Congratulations.” His tone was soft.Unless I was tipsy and tripping, I saw it in his eyes. He was hurt, and that was what I didn’t want.
“Thank you.” I cleared my throat. “So um, how much is it?”
“You’re good, Leigh.” His cell phone rang, and I could practically see the relief oozing off him. “Gotta take this.” He answered the call and stepped a few feet away.
So, there was that. With a heavy heart I walked toward the exit and left Rage’s shop.
RAGE
“Earth to Rage!” Kira snapped bringing me back to the present.
My gaze bounced from my flaccid penis to her disappointed glare. She had been attempting to give me head for the past ten minutes, and I was working with a limp noodle. It had been a full day since Leighton told me she had a child, and I was still in shock. When Leighton and I were a couple, neither one of us were ready for kids. Had I been ready to take that step, I would have put my seed in her for sure. Knowing that she gave another nigga the honor of being her child’s father had my gut twisted.
She told me she was single, so obviously she wasn’t with the father but still.
“Is something wrong?” Kira asked with my dick still in her hand. She was on her knees in my office peering up at me with the saddest expression.
“I told you I wasn’t feeling this shit,” I stated. Removing my dick from her hand, I stuffed it back inside my boxer briefs. The shop was closed, and I was going home to take a shower.
“Is it because of her?”
“Who?” I questioned with furrowed brows even though something told me she was referring to Leighton. Ever since shesaw her in the shop, Kira had been acting overly clingy, and the shit was blowing me.
Kira huffed like a dragon. “Leighton. I know she’s your ex. Are y’all getting back together or something?” despite me telling Kira every chance I got that I didn’t want a relationship, she still acted territorial when it came to me.
Standing I buttoned my jeans. “I’m about to head out. Come on.”
Kira stood and when I saw tears in her eyes, I threw my hands up in exasperation.
“I swear I don’t have time for this. Fuck is you crying for?” I wasn’t a person that possessed a lot of patience anyway, but I was sure my short temper had something to do with the fact that there was a man walking the streets that had the pleasure of calling Leighton the mother of his child. Yes, I was jealous as fuck.
“You’ve been telling me you aren’t ready for a relationship, but you’re going to get back with her?” Kira’s voice quivered.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I closed my eyes and made every effort to remain calm. I waited a few moments before I spoke. “Kira, shorty, Leighton is the only girlfriend I have had as an adult. She’s the only woman outside of family that I ever loved. After we broke up, hell no, I didn’t want to be with anyone else. Unless she tells me to stay the fuck away from her, I’ll always be her friend. Nothing will change that. And I also never said we’re getting back together. You’re assuming. And I’m single. Don’t question me. Come on let’s go.”
Kira stalked out of the office moving toward the front of the shop. She was 5’8 with light skin and thick as fuck. Kira was known around the hood for being a bop. I heard about her passing that pussy out like hotcakes as early as middle school. She was cool to hang around, kick it with, and even fuck, but wifing her wouldn’t ever happen. Not with me.
Once the shop was locked up, I got in my Equinox and prepared to drive home. The entire drive, my mind was consumed with thoughts of Leighton. I even found myself reminiscing about our first date.
I pulled up at the movie theatre in a rental rock. That was what we called cars that we rented from crackheads. Sometimes, we paid them in cash, but most times, we paid them in crack. There was a smoker by the name of Benny that was a military veteran. On the first of the month, he got two checks that totaled more than $4,000. I had to admit that before he purchased any dope, he made sure his rent and car payment were paid. The nigga might not have water at the crib, but the rent got paid.
He had a four-year-old Kia, and dope boys had pretty much run it into the ground, but it worked. I gave Benny $80 worth of crack to use his car for ten hours. I ambled to the door and posted up in front of the building with one foot propped on the brick wall. I had only been standing there for about two minutes when I saw Leighton trekking in my direction. We had only had three phone conversations, but from what I could tell so far, Leighton was cool people.
Dressed in a long, pink, tube top dress that clung to her petite frame, Leighton looked good as fuck. She wore her natural curls which were thick and touched her shoulders. The moment she got within six feet of me, the smell of peaches infiltrated my nostrils. She smelled so damn good. Shorty smelled clean. Good enough to eat.
Her full lips were coated in baby pink gloss, and she had lash extensions framing her chinky eyes. “Damn you look good and smell good too.”
“Thank you,” she simpered.
I opened the door for her, and we walked to the concession stand. After getting drinks and snacks, we entered the theatreand found our seats. When I purchased the tickets online it allowed me to choose the seats that I wanted. Of course, Leighton and I couldn’t talk during the movie, but I still had a good time being there with her. When we left the movie theatre, Leighton followed me to my homie’s kickback.
