Page 19 of Intentional Foul (The Complexity of Love #2)

“Malcolmmmmm...okay, okay,” she screamed, and I placed her feet back on the ground.

“Get dressed or I will carry you out in your robe,” I said.

Watching a short person with a hot temper put on clothes and repack amused me. We entered the elevator, and she stood as far away as possible. Walking into the condo, she flipped off Marquise as his loud cackling echoed through the lower level.

“Man, what did I do? I got the finger twice today,” he said as we both observed her sit at the table.

I sat her bags beside the door and shook my head at my brother. He was enjoying this too much, but his day was on the horizon. One of these girls would put her foot down and have some standards.

“Marquise, you know you could help me,” Jhae said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he responded as he continued to laugh.

I joined her at the table, loading my plate with noodles, vegetables, and rice. For several minutes, we sat in silence slurping down food. Jhae’s phone vibrated, and she texted a few times before she closed her eyes, rocking from side to side. Marquise and I watched as she zoned out to the sound.

“The very thing that binds our love will unwind us,” she sang in a low mumble. “Your heart it’s bold, fearless and golden,” she continued.

Being able to witness how a song came to her was artistry. The tip of her fingers tapped as she went along with the beat. Jhae’s eyes caught ours as we stared in her direction.

“Sorry. Moe sent me some tracks to see what... Never mind,” she said.

“Put me on the album,” Marquise requested and Jhae mouthed no .

He twisted his lips upward. “You be hating,” he said to Jhae.

“What are you going to do on the album, Marquise?” she asked, and he shrugged.

“Make me sound good with one of those machines. Do you know the women and clout I would have being on your album?” he said.

Jhae held her chest as she struggled to keep a straight face. We both knew Marquise couldn’t sing or rap. But if he made his way to the album, the world would know about it. The rest of dinner reminded me of old times when we crashed into her place, ordered out, and joked.

“Marquise, Mr. Dribble is not a rap name,” Jhae said.

“Man, the hate coming from your side of the table is taking the color off my shirt,” he said.

“You’re wearing white,” Jhae reminded.

I climbed into my California King sized bed with my wife on the opposite side. She intended to keep space between us, but I planned on disappointing her. I dimmed the lights to put the view of the city on display. She tilted her head upward but refocused on her phone.

“Jhae,” I said, and she turned as I motioned her to me with four fingers, but she scoffed.

“Music Note, you know I won’t stop until I get what I want,” I said.

She flipped her phone down on her lap. “What is it that you want? Why should you get what you want? And I can’t get what I want,” she argued.

I slanted my head to the side. “Tonight, I want to hold you. For the next lifetime, I want to love you in a manner even you loving yourself can’t match.

Jhae, you want to dissolve our marriage out of fear and fear alone.

I could see if we tried, and things didn’t work out.

But you’re afraid of Anissa Shaw-Jefferies instead of focusing on me,” I said.

She lifted her phone and continued to scroll. I moved over and confiscated it.

“Malcolm, I was talking to Moe,” she said.

I returned to my previous spot. “If you want the phone, you come to me,” I said.

She protested all of two minutes before she closed the gap between us. Sitting next to me, she extended her hands for her phone, and I placed it in her hand. When she tried to run, I wrapped my hands around her body. With her back to my chest, I kissed her ear, and she giggled.

“You are not slick or fast, Jhae,” I said.

She scrolled through her thread, texting Moe as I kissed her repeatedly.

The more she moved, I followed. I found her rib cage and brushed it.

Jhae dropped her phone as she balled into a circle, laughing, giving me more access to her body.

She turned on her back to push me away with her hands.

As her lips became visible, I kissed her in slow motion.

She wasted no time inviting me inside her mouth.

Jhae said one thing, but her body told me the truth.

The more our tongues tangled, my hands roamed her body, finding new places I hadn’t touched.

With her wearing an oversized black silk shirt with no bottoms, I had free rein.

I ran my thumb across her protruding nipples, and she moaned.

She tried squeezing her legs together as my hands lowered but Jhae was aroused, and we both knew it.

I broke our kiss to suck on her neck and ears.

My hands traveled inside her panties, and she gave me a small opening.

One swipe of a finger across her clit, her eyes opened as she moaned. I continued to play in her wetness.

“Are you going to open up for me?” I whispered.

I caressed her clit several times before her legs parted.

The wetness covered my fingers and hardened my dick.

I entered her with one finger as I kissed her slowly.

She gripped my arm as I added another finger.

I wanted to be inside her. I knew this wasn’t the time. Tonight was about making her cum.

“Cum for me,” I whispered.

She snatched her head away, leaving her skin open for me to kiss. I increased the speed of my fingers and added my thumb to her clit. She couldn’t control herself.

“Cum for me. I want to feel your release on my fingers,” I demanded.

As her back arched, a rush of wetness greeted my hand. Jhae’s body collapsed to the bed. I removed my hand and tasted my fingers as she panted. The taste alone awakened my senses as I rolled her juices around my mouth.

“Fuck, Fuck, Fuck. Dammit, Jhae,” she yelled in panic to herself.

She climbed to the opposite side of the bed and quickly walked to the bathroom. I knew the guilt was coming as she gave in to her desires. I licked my fingers again before I approached the bathroom door.

“She is going to kill me. You are so stupid, Jhae,” I heard her punishing herself in a strained tone.

I sighed as I turned the knob to find her pacing in front of the double vanity. With her mind racing, she bumped into me without realizing it.

“I fucked up. I need to go,” she said.

Catching her shirt, I tugged her into me and bear hugged her body. I rotated Jhae to face the vanity, “look in the mirror,” I demanded.

A tear hit my arm, but I nudged her to peer upward.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. We are married, and you came for your husband.

It was a beautiful experience—damn near poetic,” I said and kissed her temple.

“If I hear the word stupid leave your mouth again, I will crash the fuck out. You are perfect, do you hear me? Look at your flawless chestnut skin, seductive brown eyes, dimples, button nose, and I love how this pixie cut fits your face. No one has your talent. You are my reason, Music Note. I love you and I know you sense the connection between us. I’m not ever letting you go. ”

As I released her, she turned and cried into my chest. I kneeled, scooping Jhae into my arms. She wrapped her hands around my neck and tightened her legs around my waist. Flipping on the shower, I tested the water temperature and stepped in with our clothes on.

We stripped from our wet clothes as the water continued to pour on us.

Jhae watched me from the couch, sitting on her legs as I changed the bedding after our shower.

“I thought you were a virgin,” she said, and I snickered as I tossed the sheet on the floor.

“My body, yes , mentally, no . Sex isn’t rocket science. You will tell me how to please you,” I said.

“I’m not taking your virginity,” she announced, triggering me to chuckle again.

I circled the bed, wrapping the fitted linen around the edge of the mattress.

“You’re my wife and the only person who can,” I said.

“Cheat,” she suggested, and I paused, remaking the bed to give her my undivided attention.

“And disrespect you? Hell no. No woman will ever share the same dick as you. And don’t suggest it again,” I said and pulled the linen over the last end of the mattress.

The room fell silent as I tossed the comforter over the bed.

Finishing, I walked to the couch, extending my hand to Jhae.

She took it and followed me to bed, pulling back the comforter.

I climbed in behind, scooping her into my arms. With her back to my chest, she gave in and snuggled underneath me, curving her body into mine.

“I love you, even if you can’t accept it right now,” I whispered into her ear.

“Turn to the left and hold the basketball with your right hand,” the photographer said, and I followed.

Between position changes, I snuck a glimpse of Jhae sitting in the corner babysitting her phone.

With her lying underneath me, I slept through my alarm, making us late.

She cried for the bulk of the night, and I reassured her as much as possible.

Nothing would stop her from sobbing. Finally, she faced me, pressing her head into my chest before drifting off to sleep.

I know she was worried, but I’m not sorry for having my first sexual experience last night.

Witnessing her cum for me took me mentally past the clouds.

“Are you opposed to a shirtless photo?” the photographer asked.

She moved her long, straight black hair behind her ear as she held her camera with one hand.

The women in the room eyed each other as they snickered.

If Marquise was here, he would’ve pulled the shirt off me.

Jhae’s eyes shot up from her phone. The slight hike of her nostrils confirmed what I needed.

“Yes,” I answered, and a woman groaned.

“Let’s do a jersey and lightning change. Take ten,” the photographer said.

I moved through the cords and lights in Jhae’s direction. She jumped on her phone, standing on her feet and walking away.

“Moe, yeah, it sounds good. Do you think a feature would enhance the song?” she said as she continued to scroll away.

I was willing to bend to her today. She was dealing with the guilt of pleasure she received from me. Choosing to yield in this battle, I sat in the wardrobe chair after changing into a different team jersey.

“Malcolm, are you sure about the shirtless photo?” she asked again.

“Yes, he is sure. The same way you should be sure about sexual harassment,” Jhae said from the back of the room, and I chuckled.

Everyone shifted in her direction, and Jhae slanted her head at the photographer.

The way she protected me without being asked was a tell.

I was wearing Jhae down and soon she would buy into the marriage.

The more time we spent together, the better for me.

I couldn’t wait to walk freely as husband and wife.