Page 113 of 4 Corinthians

Me: Yeah, whatever she wants, she’s going to get. Make it happen.

…

Nine: Four hundred is on your account as well as your note.

Me: Appreciate you.

I put the phone down and looked up to see Cori still looking over the menu. I reached over and tapped it to get her attention. She looked up at me and smiled. “Y-y-y-y-you know w-w-w-w-what y-y-y-you want?” I asked.

“Salad, something light,” she whispered and smiled again. The excitement in her eyes was contagious as hell. My heart started pounding and my bracelet beeped. She reached across the table and covered her hand with mine. “Breathe,” she said, and I nodded. My heart rate slowed, and the beeping stopped. “Now, what are you going to get?”

“Lamb chops, mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus ,” I told her.

She looked down at the menu. “Oh, that sounds good too.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “You want to share?”

I chuckled and nodded. “Yeah,” I answered.

Our waitress came, took our order, and we sat there talking. Even though I’d always been an arm’s length away from her, it felt different hearing her tell me about her life as an adult. I didn’t miss the fact that she didn’t talk about her life after her parents died. She skipped right over it; I didn’t blame her. That time in her life, even before they died, was hard. I also didn’t miss that she never mentioned Judah’s daddy or that she was in a relationship. It was like one minute she was graduating from college, opening the shop, and the next she was a mother. I asked Nine what the story was with that, and he said their family was tight-lipped about Judah’s relationship, or lack thereof, with his daddy.

After we finished our dessert, she pushed her plate in front of her and leaned back in her chair. Our waitress set the small folder that held the check on the table. I didn’t reach for it; instead, I looked up at Cori to see what she wanted to do. “So, this is when we run right?” she asked, and I nodded. Her eyes ballooned, and I laughed as I wiped my mouth with my napkin, then set it on the table.

“You scared?” I asked as I pushed away from the table. I rounded it, got behind her chair, and pulled it out. Cori stood, and I put my hand out for her to take. This shit was hella kiddish, but I couldn’t stop laughing. I never thought I would be doing anything like this at my grown age. Cori took my hand, and I quickly kissed her, stepped back, and headed to the door.

“Excuse me, sir!” someone called from behind. I didn’t turn around; they knew what they were doing. “Sir!”

“Shit, come on,” Cori laughed and pulled me to the door. Her steps were measured but quick. Once we got to the parking lot, she took off in a full sprint, still holding my hand. She laughed and ran to my car. My legs were longer, so I scooped her up, bridal-style, and ran to the car. When we got to the car, I put my thumb over the sensor, unlocked the doors, opened her door, and put her inside. “Hurry up.” She patted my chest and looked over my shoulder. I knew no one was really worried about us, so I kissed her again. I didn’t intend to be anything but quick, but the second our lips touched, I wanted more. Cori’s arms went around my neck, and she pulled me to her. Her soft moans had me ready to beg her to taste her pussy in this parking lot. Ever since I tasted her pussy it was all I craved, but I knew we weren’t there yet. I needed to keep working on myself, but I also needed her to trust me enough to tell me why she reacted the way she did. Yeah, I knew her past, but there was something else there.

A new fear.

I pulled back, and she used her thumb to wipe away the lip gloss from my lips. I gently grabbed her wrist, kissed her thumb, then backed up. I closed her door, rounded my car, got in, and started it.

I drove her home and expected her to put me out. Instead, she invited me in, went to her bedroom to change her clothes, and I sat on the couch.

While she was doing whatever she was doing, I stepped onto the back porch and called Nine.

“Hello?” he answered. I could hear him typing at his computer. “You have fun faking dining and dashing?”

“Yeah,” I laughed and wiped my hand over my mouth. “She loved that shit.” I licked my lips and looked over at my house. From this spot I could see clearly into my living room. I didn’t typically leave my blinds open, but I was in a rush this evening to get to Cori for our date. “But that ain’t why I’m calling.”

“What’s up?” The typing stopped. “Something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” I told him about the quick interaction with the white Charger before dinner. I wasn’t letting that shit go. Something was telling me that it wasn’t just some young niggas being dumb. “Check the traffic cameras.”

“I’m already on it,” he said. “Give me a few hours. I will have all the information you need.”

I watched as Corinthians came back into the living room. She’d changed into a pair of yoga shorts, a T-shirt, and some fuzzy socks. She looked pretty as hell. When she noticed me outside, I held up the phone; she nodded then went into the kitchen.

“Get me the information tomorrow. I’m turning off my phone for the night.”

“Be safe,” he said.

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. I was, no doubt, with the one person I knew I would be safe with, no matter what. “Later.” I hung up, powered off my phone, and went back into the house.

For the rest of the night, we sat cuddled up on the couch, watching movies and enjoying each other's company.

Corinthians

Igot out of the car, locked it, and walked through the parking lot of Psalms shop. The sky was overcast, making me feel like it was going to start raining any second, so I walked faster than usual. Just as my hand touched the cool glass, I felt the first drop of rain. I said a quick prayer of thanks as the chimes over the door rattled when I pushed it open.