Innocent play. Most women love when a man is that outspoken and knows what he wants. Likes to know that a man is taking his time to show that he admires you. Paying attention to you.
Then, he started ordering for me when we dined out and giving me his unwanted suggestions about my home fixed lunch. Innocent. Definitely not saying all men who did these things were abusive but after getting a weird vibe from him since the comedy show, I had David run a full background.
Domestic violence.
Assault with a deadly weapon.
Battery.
The list goes on, but it answered so many questions. Of course, his charges never stuck because all the witnesses backtracked their claims of abuse and said that he wasn’t that type of man.
“I got you the vegan lemon pepper cauliflower wings with green tea. You don’t need all those harmful calories by eating that filth in those chili cheese fries.” Proudly Keith handed me the container of food.
Now I had two options. One, thank him for thinking about my health. Two, remind him that I am my own woman who works out hard six days out the week so I can eat whatever the hell I want. These hips weren’t made by no damn lemon pepper cauliflower wings. These hips were made by eating food good for the soul, not my arteries.
“Are you eating anything?” I questioned.
“I’d rather watch you eat.” Dude, really!
“Good. You can eat this while I go order what I want.” With a wide smile, I politely pushed the food back in his arms and made my way to the food truck with the good smelling greasy foods.
“Wait. Krishna, that food…hey, watch where the hell you’re going.” A young guy accidently bumped into Keith sending those poor wings to the ground. “I’m sorry, sir.” I knew that voice. When the kid with the low-cut fade and Nike sweat suit turned to face me, I wanted to jump up and down. “Hey, Mrs. Krishna.” Jeremy made sure to add much emphasis on the Mrs. Keith tried to stop him from hugging me, but he wasn’t quick enough. “You’re in deep shit,” Jeremy sang lowly in my ear.
Jeremy is here, and if he’s here then…
“Good to see you, JD. Um, are you here by yourself?” It took everything for me not to search high and low.
Smirking, he shook his head. “I am. My big brother had to leave. He got sick and headed home.” He wiggled his brows making my heart skate. The excitement was building and bubbling over something extreme.
“How are you getting home?”
“Probably an Uber or catch the bus. I can manage.” His conniving smirk made me giggle.
“Oh, no. That’s not going to happen. Keith can take you home on the way to dropping me off.” I know I seemed too excited to leave but Keith had no idea what awaited me. Hell, his abusive ass only made it this far because it served a purpose of making Amell jealous, and seeing JD here in the flesh, it worked. I had no use for him.
“Uh, um, Krishna.” Keith tried to interrupt. “Aye, cool man. I appreciate it.”
Walking back to where he parked it took everything in me to keep from laughing and smiling. Keith walked ahead of us, stomping mad at the world. Part of me felt bad for playing with his emotions but then I didn’t. We all sat in silence with low music playing from the radio. The closer we got to the address JD gave I kept checking the GPS to make sure we were headed in the right direction. It was two blocks from my condo.
“Thank you for the ride, sir. I’ll tell my brother that I saw you, Mrs. Krishna. Y’all have a good night.” JD got out and we waited until he went inside to drive off.
“Krishna, while I appreciate you wanting to help one of your students, that wasn’t cool. Our date got shortened over something that could’ve been fixed with an Uber. I think another date to make up for this one is suitable. What do you say to cooking for me this Sunday? I’ll pick up the groceries and watch you cook.”
So many things ran through my mind but the main one was the hand squeezing my knee. My bare knee.
Politely removing his hands off my flesh, I smiled. “That won’t work.
Sunday, I have plans.” Those plans included Amell.
Gosh, thinking of that man made my stomach flutter. It felt like Christmas morning, anxious to open my presents. Keith thought my joy came from him.
Sadly mistaken.
“I’ll walk you up.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Removing my hand from his chest I glanced up at my balcony. Dark and not a person in sight. That’s odd. Where is he? “Thank you for tonight. Drive safe and…” Dear God, why did he just kiss me?
The hairs on arms and neck raised. Chills covered my skin, and these weren’t good chills either.
“Have a good night, Krishna.” Waving him goodbye I hurried upstairs.
“Come on. Come on.” I tapped my foot watching the numbers in the elevator pass by slowly. Once the doors opened, I sprinted out. My wedges were no match for my anxiousness.
“Where is he?” Entering my dark condo my spirits dampened. Nothing was out of place. Everything was the same how I left it. Right when I reached my kitchen my steps became slower. Sandalwood and coconut. His infamous smell.
He’s here. Like a robber I creeped through my house in search of my prize. Checking the bathrooms, my guest bedrooms. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, my eyes started to water. Body shaking. My whole change of demeanor came from the unknown of what was behind my bedroom a door I never closed when I left.
Standing outside my bedroom I laid my head on the door wanting and needing to feel something cool to relax my nerves. Amell was here. His scent engulfed me. Flickers of candles greeted me as I opened the door. It had to be over three dozen candles illuminating my room. Candles starting at the door leading to my bed to the balcony to…sweet baby Jesus.
There he stood in all his chocolate naked glory.
“He kissed you and you let him.” His gruff words made me flinch.
“It’s called being polite. Not all of us are mean like you.” I knew I was playing with fire, but I didn’t care. The reward would be so worth it.
Glaring at me over his shoulder with murder in his eyes, he took me in.
Racked those onyx eyes up and down my frame. “Where is JD?”
“At your new condo down the street.” I had questions about that, but they’d have to wait.
“Go wash him off you.” How is it that in all these years he’s aged to perfection? It’s like he had the Benjamin Button syndrome.
His body was just as fine and fit as it was the first night, I saw him in all his glory. A few new tattoos dedicated to his nieces and nephews. Everything about him, everything, was sculpted to perfection.
“Why do I…”
“Go wash, Krishna.” I pouted hearing him call me by my first name instead of Gazelle like I liked.
I showered angry. Washed my body mumbling under my breath at his nerve to boss me around when he’s the one who’s been MIA since the beginning of the month. With my towel wrapped around me I walked back in my room and his big ass was still standing on the balcony giving the world a nice large view of nakedness. I don’t care if we were sixteen floors up from the ground.
Like a child I slammed my dresser drawers and banged my body butter bottle. I yearned for this man 365 days, 24/7. Not a second went by without him consuming my thoughts. All I wanted was to be close to him. To be in his skin like he liked being in mine when he came around.