Page 7

“A’ight,” he chuckled, “I will.”

“What’s so funny, Trey?” she asked, knowing how sexual what she just said sounded.

“Nothing, just felt like laughing, is all.”

“Fine, be a liar. I’ll see you shortly.”

“A’ight, and get you some dick before we go. I’on need ya mean ass getting on my damn nerves. I’d rather you be fucked into submission before hopping ya ass in the ride with me.”

“Nope, I’m gon’ to purposely not get any dick just so I can get on your nerves since you wanna be a smartass.”

“Nah, you gon’ get some dick all right. I gotta go, but we’ll finish this conversation on the road.”

“Excuse me, No, I won’t be get⁠—”

“You waking my dick up. If you make me come up there and slide it in you, ya shop is gon’ be closed for the rest of the damn day.”

Bleu didn’t say another word. All she was physically able to do was gulp in some air. Just like that, her body was his to control, and that shit annoyed the fuck outta her.

“Yup, that’s what I thought. Bye, Bleu Belle.”

Bleu looked at the phone as she pulled it from her skirt pocket after he hung up on her and shook her head. After demanding that he call her by her full name since he moved to Pleasureville, she now not only loathed that she loved the sound of it falling from his lips, the shit sounded sexual as fuck when he said it. The way that shit had him thinking he got the last word of the conversation bothered the fuck out of her. Perturbed, her fingers flew across her phone's keyboard. She was rereading it just to make sure she didn’t forget shit, but just before she could hit send, someone cleared their throat behind her and followed it up with a fake bout of laughter.

“What is it that you do, Bleu? I never see you working. Matter of fact, the only thing I’ve ever seen you do was fuck with other hoe’s men. You wouldn’t happen to still be up to your sluttish ways by chance, are you? Whose man are you texting now, gurl?”

Bleu closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. After praying for strength to keep from knocking this silly bitch’s head off, she turned around to face Cassie Nevens. The plastic-ass Barbie of Pleasureville. The new Mayor's daughter and the same now grown-ass woman who had been trying to compete with her in everything since high school. Everything on Cassie was compliments of her plastic surgeon ex-boyfriend, Dr. Caine. Her ass, lips, titties, cheeks, and calves were all new assets. One thing Bleu was gonna do though, was give credit where credit was due. So, even though Cassie looked nothing like she used to, the surgeon did a damn good job of making her look fucking flawless. Had Cassie not still been such a bitch, Bleu would’ve complimented all the work she had done.

“Gurl, first off,” Bleu began, trying to keep her composure. “Don’t come up in my store talking shit about me. Especially shit that ain’t true. Remember, I own this bitch, and I will happily snatch you up by your fresh press and drag yo’ hoe ass up outta this muthafucka. I got all the time in the world today.”

“Hmph, I’m not surprised.” Cassie rolled her eyes while smirking. “You always were a thuggish ass Tomboy to be a girl, but I’m only here to pick up the order of cookbooks my momma purchased. Nothing more.”

“Then go stand your ass in line and get the fuck outta my face before I drag you by yours, Cassie.”

“You mess up this pretty face, and I’ll sue you for everything⁠—”

“Bitch, go play in traffic and leave me the fuck alone. And that’s ya last gotdamn warning,” Bleu warned as she walked away from Cassie before she beat the bitch into a coma. Back in her office, she closed and locked the door before she turned on her work playlist, popped a few weed gummies, and crawled into her overstuffed black cuddle seat. She hated when a bitch tried her patience and tried to provoke her.

For the Love of Melanin bookshop meant everything to her, and everyone in town knew that. As one of the few successful owners of a large African American brick-and-mortar bookstore, Bleu refused to allow unprofessionalism to get the best of her. It was easy to ignore most people in this town who didn’t like her because they simply chose not to engage her or come into her fucking store. But Cassie seemed to be on a personal mission to fuck with her wherever. Because Bleu chose not to feed into her and her homegirls’ bullshit, they always tried to force her to react.

With what her store means to her and the community, Bleu does her best not to allow negativity to tarnish her family legacy and all the great things people have had the pleasure of experiencing because of her store.

But with some people not liking her because of the family name she was born into, and others not liking her because Cassie and her bitch ass best flunkies think she tried to talk to the weak-ass dudes they called their men, there was never a dull ass day in this small ass town. Even with her living near the edge of town, someone always managed to either drag her name into some shit or blame her because it happened.

This shit had been going on since she could remember, and she was so fucking over it. After popping two more gummies, Bleu left the rest of the floor tasks to Shar and the rest of her staff while she tended to everything that needed to be done electronically. Two hours later, she was still enjoying her high as she drove home. She hadn’t even gotten her shoes off good before she was pouring wine into her favorite wine glass and looking for her last bag of pre-rolls.

Bleu smoked two before she sank into a hot bath and tuned the world out as she read Iesha Bree’s latest book, Kings Release. But because she knew Trey would be on time to get her, because he’d been on time for everything in this town since becoming a resident, she shortened her bath and reading time and proceeded to get ready. Twenty minutes later, she was in a blue sundress and a tan wide-brimmed sun hat. Her face beat to perfection, and she smelled like freshly baked dessert as she made her way to the front door.

“Hello, pain in the⁠—”

Trey snatched her up in his arms and tongue-kissed her so good, she forgot her damn name. The way his tongue tussled with her let her know that this man didn’t come to play. He came with big-ass, grown-man intentions.

“Now, what was that shit you was saying earlier, and all that shit yo’ smart mouth ass was ‘bout to say?” he asked after finally breaking the kiss.

“I don’t even fucking remember,” she mumbled as she now held her hands to her lips. She didn’t understand how his kisses and his touch seemed to control her body’s every move.

“Cool,” he pecked her lips, grabbed a handful of her ass, and whispered in her ear, “Take these fucking panties off and bring yo’ fine ass on.”

Unable to do anything else but nod, she took her panties off, tossed them on the couch, and rushed out the door. She didn’t even want to try to sort out why she was so damn giddy about the idea of being out with Trey without her panties. He literally had her assed out, and the shit had her more horny than a little bit. At the bottom of the stairs, she slipped her hand into his outstretched one and fell in step with him as he led her to his ride and opened the door for her.