“My bad, Ma. It honestly slipped my mind. When was this again?” The mention of my mama had Essence perking up from her previous attitude and meeting my eyes in the mirror.
“June twenty-fifth, Valentino! And I don’t want you bringing just any old heffa in there either. I already took the initiative of getting you all dates who are respectable young ladies,” she said nonchalantly, and I was already shaking my head. Any women she was trying to set us up with were no doubt children of her boujie committee friends, and I wanted no parts. With my eyes still on Essence, a smirk hit my lips as I got an idea.
“We already got dates, Ma. Don’t even worry about it.” My grin widened at the look on Essence’s face.
If she attended the charity, it would be killing two birds with one stone. Not only would she get to meet my family, but they wouldn’t be able to grill her like normal considering the event. My OG would be running around so much she wouldn’t have time to chat with her too much and neither would my pops, since he’d be somewhere talking to the other husbands who didn’t want to be there. It was perfect, and I knew Sosa would agree tobring Bliss, so that only left Quick’s goofy ass out. I’d heard that he had been messing around with Norielle, but I knew he wasn’t stupid enough to bring her as his date. My OG might’ve been too busy to delve too far into our business, but if she got the slightest hint of ratchetness she’d eat that girl alive.
My OG let out a groan, and I knew without seeing her that she was rolling her eyes. “I don’t want just anyone attending this event, Valentino?”
“They’re not just anybody. My girl is a traveling nurse, and Santana’s date is a pharmacy tech.” I couldn’t help feeling proud of Essence’s profession. There wasn’t shit my OG could say about somebody who saved lives for a living, and even as she hesitated, I could hear her tone lighten just slightly.
“Oh, really? Well, where did these women come from, and what about Quincy? Is he dating a doctor?” her smart ass said, making me scratch the back of my neck with a chuckle.
“I don’t know about all that. I only know about Santana’s girl because she’s my girl’s sister.” Essence watched me like a hawk in the mirror, unable to stop herself from simpering at the conversation she was witnessing. My OG hummed in my ear, wanting to keep talking shit but knowing she couldn’t.
“Fine, Valentino. Don’t embarrass me, that’s all I ask.”
“Never, Ma. You’ll love her,” I assured, only for her to hang up with a grunt. Truthfully, that shit was a good thing because I was honestly tired of talking to my pops and wanted to get back to Essence’s warm walls.
“What exactly did you just invite me and my sister to?” she asked as soon as I set the phone down and gripped her waist. I resumed kissing on her neck, and she opened right up, leaning her head to the side to give me more access.
“You said you wanted a double date. Well, my OG got a charity event coming up. You’ll be my date, and Santana canbring Bliss, so… double date,” I said like it made perfect sense, and in my mind, it did.
“Really? When is it because you know I might have to take off work?” Essence’s breathing got heavy as I slid my hand back into her shorts and slowly circled her clit.
“The end of June. You got plenty of time, and even if you didn’t, I’ll pay you for the night if you have to call off. I’m tryna see you all dressed up again like the night we met, so I can unwrap you like a present,” I told her, sucking her earlobe into my mouth. The spot between her brows pinch as she squirmed against my hardening dick.
“Ummm.” A whimper fell from her open lips, and I quickened my pace, seeing that she was on the verge of an orgasm. “Babyyyy.”
“Get that shit out the way so you can come ride my dick, sweetheart,” I demanded, and just that fast, her knees buckled as she erupted. The look in her eyes had my dick getting harder just knowing she was about to show the fuck out.
CHAPTER 18
BLISS
Iwas back to work, finally, and even though I felt a little embarrassed when I first got there, nothing had changed in my absence. Despite the way I’d clowned, my coworkers weren’t treating me any differently, and the shift went off without any problems, which I was grateful for. I stood back and scrolled on my phone as I waited for Angie to walk outside with me, so I could fill her in on what actually happened with Sosa. She’d only worked half a shift, so I hadn’t been able to tell her on break but I was dying to get her opinion, especially since I hadn’t told Essence. If I had told my sister that I’d shown my ass at work over Sosa, and that it was a mistake, she’d fuck around and have a heart attack. Essence never played about work and money. Even if she agreed that the shit was crazy, she would’ve never approved of the way I handled it.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Angie announced, fixing her huge tote bag on her shoulder and swinging her keychain.
“Took you long enough. I thought your ass was trying to stay and do inventory in this muthafucka,” I teased, and she shook her head with bucked eyes.
“Oh, hell no! The hours they got out of me is all I’m willing to give! I damn sure ain’t tryna be the only one here working withSmith! I already know he’d be annoying as hell.” She shuddered like just the thought was enough to scare her. “Naw, I’ll let you continue to be the one to take that punishment. Now, tell me what happened after you left. You know I been dying to get the tea.”
We walked out of the sliding doors together, and the warm air smacked me right in the face. The summer was now apparently in full effect, and the heat had my edges already coming up. I’d wanted to stand around and gossip for a second, but the way beads of sweat were instantly popping up along my hairline had me quickly giving her the fast version as we power walked to our cars that were parked a few feet apart.
“Well, his cousin just got out of the hospital, so he was recovering and couldn’t drive his girl up here, and he said she didn’t have a license, so he sent Sosa. I even heard her in the background fussing at him when we called, with her ratchet ass.” I rolled my eyes at the memory.
Quick’s little girlfriend still rubbed me the wrong way, and if that was the type of woman he kept around, I definitely didn’t think he was good for Micah. According to Sosa, they were still messing with each other, and I wasn’t trying to have my girl going from one fucked-up nigga to another.
“That’s not funny, but it’s funny. The way she was acting, I would’ve thought that was her man too if I was you, but I’m glad it was all cleared up. I know next time you won’t be so quick to snap like that.” Angie laughed.
“Shit, it better not be a next time! Shorty better take an Uber or DoorDash that shit!” I cracked, but I was dead ass serious. “The only reason I even let it slide was that he obviously mentions me enough that his cousin knows who I am, and like I said, she was cutting up over there in the background on the call, but I still got my eye on that nigga.”
I couldn’t lie, Sosa had me wide open, but I wasn’t going to be stupid. I was still going to watch for any red flags, and the first time he acted up, I would be done with him. Even as I thought that through, I knew I wouldn’t be able to walk away so easily, especially after letting him plant his name in my pussy. I thought that Jordan had that drive a bitch crazy dick, but Sosa had him beat by a long shot. When he wasn’t around, he had me having flashbacks and wanting to call him. I was clearly already gone, and I could see it only getting worse.
“As you should. Niggas are sneaky out here, girl. You gotta stay woke?”
“Bliss!”
