Page 8 of Defending the Post (The Complexity of Love #3)

Chapter Five

Full Court Press

Erin

“ G irl, Marquise and Malcolm are both fine. They could run a train on me with the lights on.”

Two married women behind us couldn’t figure out how to keep their desires to themselves. Jhae sat unfazed by the comments, but for some reason, they were bothering me. Marquise and I had been cordial since the pier. The first two days were rocky, but at day four, there was hope for our friendship.

“Let’s get ready for the halftime show,” the announcer said, as the second quarter ended and I texted Jhae.

Me

Do you not hear those women discussing your husband?

Jhae peered over at me with a smile.

“Yes, I hear those married bitches trying to fuck my husband,” she projected loudly, turning her face in their direction.

I swallowed hard at her bold declaration before covering my mouth. The ladies lowered their voices to a whisper as she rotated her body back to the court. My eyes retreated to my phone once it vibrated.

Bestie

Are all your jeans too tight?

Me

You worried about y’all being down ten points to Nevada?

Bestie

I can’t focus with your ass screaming for release.

Me

Give Chauncy my number. He can relieve the stress.

Bestie

I will beat his tall for no reason ass.

Me

Focus, stop texting me.

I lifted my eyes to find Jhae smiling. By the position of her head, I can tell she read my messages.

“You and Marquise seem to be getting along.” she said.

I sneered in her direction before smiling.

“We have decided to be friends, and he is already abusing it by asking me crazy questions.”

Jhae waved her hands in a circle to encourage me to continue talking.

“He told me this wild story about a girl giving him head and vomiting. And he wanted to know if our body gives a signal before it happens.”

Jhae rolled her eyes before returning them to me.

“Something is wrong with him,” she said, and I agreed with a head shake.

The cheerleaders lined up on the sideline ready to put on a performance.

I joined in with the crowd as we clapped along with the music.

Soon after, the teams returned to the floor as they prepared for the second half.

I tried not to find Marquise, but I couldn’t help but to look.

He mugged me and I rolled my eyes back as a response.

“You guys are too cute,” Jhae said.

“No. We are friends, nothing more,” I debunked her hopes and dreams.

“Whatever you say,” Jhae said, as she brushed her fingers through her pixie cut.

I sat on my legs and created a mood board for my presentation as Marquise struggled with Blazing and Guns . Instead of asking me how to get off this planet, he wanted to figure it out himself.

“Good game, by the way,” I said, as he jumped through a crater.

“Did you expect anything else? I mean, I am a first-round draft pick,” he boasted.

I lifted my eyes to view his side profile as he smiled. Marquise was attractive, with his beautiful brown skin, well-kept fade, brown eyes, thick natural brows, and full lips. Without his tapered beard connecting to his goatee, he would have a baby face.

“Two married women wanted you and Malcolm to run a train on them,” I said.

Marquise paused the game, allowing the controller to dangle in his hand. I giggled as I moved more items to my board, but he pulled down my tablet.

“And you’re telling me this because?” he questioned.

“Because I’m trying to be a good bestie. Is it okay for me to hand out your number?” I asked.

Last night, Marquise tickled me until I handed over my phone. He plugged in his number and called his phone from mine.

“Hell nawl. Don’t be giving your ugly friends my number,” he said, followed with a scowl.

I held my stomach as I laughed at his wrinkled forehead.

“My friend is not ugly, but did you give Chauncy’s fine ass my number?” I teased.

Marquise scanned me as if we were on the playground ready for a fight. He sat back, placing his leg on the ottoman.

“Don’t get my teammate’s ass beat,” he said.

I placed my tablet down as he licked his lips.

“We are supposed to be besties, but I can’t get the hook up?” I asked, jerking my head back in false disbelief.

“I told you this wasn’t a friendship, but a dictatorship. You’re not allowed to date. I’ll beat up anybody you talk to,” he said.

Unfolding my legs, I wiggled my maroon painted toes against his shirt.

“I told you I’m overthrowing your government. We are friends and I can date whoever I want, the same as you,” I said and smirked afterward.

Marquise’s jaw flinched as he gave me a serious expression. I knew he was serious about his dictatorship, however, I wasn’t playing in the gray area. We were friends.

“You’re using the wrong weapon to kill the crater monster at the end of the board,” I said to lighten the mood.

Marquise turned his head back toward the game. I tried to remove my feet, but he grabbed my ankle.

“Why are you moving your feet?” he questioned.

Because you’re mad , I thought to myself, but was too timid to say it.

“It’s my foot,” I answered.

“Leave it,” he requested and for some reason, I obeyed.

I observed Marquise’s continued use of the wrong weapon to master the board. His playfulness had long left, rushing guilt through me. I raised from my seat, crowding his space, hugging his neck.

“You’re using the wrong gun,” I whispered in his ear.

He paused the game and glared at me. I secured the controller and moved through the weapons categories, selecting the starburst gun.

“You’re welcome,” I said.

Before I could move, Marquise pulled me on his lap. As my body rested across his, he mugged me and I cackled.

“Beat this board for me.”

I agreed with my own mug crinkling my nose.Marquise rotated my body but kept me pinned in his lap. Using the starburst gun, I dodged craters and aliens with ease, including the three-headed monster at the end.

“I should make you pay me for this,” I said, as the banner appeared on the screen.

“Tomorrow, we’re going on the road for a week,” he whispered in my ear.

The warmth of his breath awakened some sleeping parts of me. I tried to stand up, but he pulled me down. Marquise wrapped both arms around me. With my back to his chest, our bodies synced.

“I expect you to answer the phone for me and go upstairs with Jhae. It would put Malcolm and I both at ease. You are welcome to sleep in my suite. My sheets are clean, and no woman has ever slept in my bed,” he said.

From the tone of his voice, I knew he was serious, but I was surprised by his declaration.

“Okay, I can bunk with Jhae, but I’m not comfortable in your space. Do you have a guest room?” I said.

Marquise tightened his grip around my waist and leaned into my neck. I knew we had crossed a line, but I didn’t want to turn around. At least not today.

“Why not?” he questioned

“Because it’s your private space,” I said, looking over my shoulder into his brown eyes.

“You trying to say I’m nasty or something,” he countered.

I narrowed my eyes in his direction.

“No, I’m saying your bedroom is personal. It’s your sanctuary.”

“I’m offering it to you. I don’t allow people where I sleep unless I trust them. How are you supposed to be my friend but won’t accept my hospitality?”

I found myself speechless as I took in the validity of his words. We called ourselves friends and friends shared spaces all the time. It’s not as if we were going to be in the bed together.

“I’ll introduce you to the space before I leave tomorrow, bestie,” he said, and I chuckled.

As “Forbidden” then “Golden Heart” played, my mind traveled back to Marquise.

He moved me into his bedroom before he left, and it wasn’t what I expected.

He occupied the downstairs part of the condo while Malcolm was upstairs.

His space was calm with warm lighting, double floor-to-ceiling windows, a large platform bed with brown bedding and it smelled good.

The brown sectional with the pixel TV would be my new resting spot.

I migrated to the living room to meet Jhae and Tyrus with my ideas.

Opening my tablet, I selected the board I created last night without hearing the album.

Jhae had a sultry R&B voice and even her up-tempo songs lent more to the soul side of her style.

The lovers will for sure connect with those two records.

Vibing to the music, I jotted down a few notes before I got a message.

Marquise

Bestie

I chuckled as I swiped his message away.

“Tell me what you think,” Jhae asked.

Jhae and I were both sad to see the guys leave this morning. But I couldn’t express my sadness. I took the sarcastic route, pretending to wave Marquise out the door.

“Let’s go ’90s. I mean full ’90s, with a black-and-white photoshoot, small venues, fake CD cases. No era did it better,” I said.

Tyrus rocked his head back and forth, agreeing with my statement.

“‘Golden Heart’ alone got me emotional about being single,” I said.

Marquise

Wow not even twenty-four hours.

Yet another message appeared on my screen.

Marquise

I want my $100 back.

Marquise

Already acting funny. Get Out.

I closed my eyes and choked down my laughter as he continued to spew his craziness.

“Text him back,” Jhae said as she sat next to me.

I sighed at the thought of appearing unprofessional in front of Jhae and Tyrus.

“He isn’t going to stop,” she said.

Me

Ha! I’m sleeping in your bed tonight and playing your game.

The three bubbles appeared and left the screen twice as I chuckled.

“Jhae, I could work on some social media templates and create a calendar. Look into some medium venue spaces for a summer tour.”

“Medium,” Jhae said, as she titled her body backward.

Marquise

Anddddd

I closed my tablet to make my point.

“The album, it’s intimate. Why not go smaller and create a ticket frenzy? It gives you an opportunity to test headlining a tour as an independent artist,” I said.

Jhae sat back in her chair, reflecting on my idea.