Page 31

SEVEN

The glare from the city’s light left a permanent glare on my windshield. I was far away from home, far away from where I was headed, but the time alone with my thoughts was needed. Like a kid on the first day of school, hoping his crush was in the same homeroom, I was reeling.

My nerves led my eyes to my clock every few seconds. Time wasn’t turning over quick enough while simultaneously turning over too quickly. A drive was my only solution. A call to Nadia was my first line of reassurance, but I decided against the idea.

My stereo was absent of sound. I didn’t care to hear the thoughts of others. I only cared to entertain mine at the moment. They were rapid, and they were real.

I’d imagined the caliber of woman I was dealing with from the size of her home and the security that followed her around like a bad reputation.

However, meeting her sisters made it ultra clear that I was embarking on something bigger than I could wrap my head around.

Someone bigger who I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around.

She wakes up. She lives. She breathes. That’s her only responsibility on earth .

Those words made perfect sense now.

Treat her well or you won’t live to regret it .

Those words made even more sense. But, there was nothing to worry about. Rome couldn’t be in better hands. I didn’t waste my time explaining or trying to prove my case to her jury. My evidence would come in every form of love, adoration, and gratitude known to man.

It wouldn’t all unfold in a day’s time, but it would unfold, nonetheless. And it would be a sight to see. Beautiful. Monumental. Artful. Like a rare flower in full bloom.

6:46p.

I exited the highway. The time had come. And, being even a half of a second late wasn’t an option. I powered around the bend and entered the express ramp on the other side of the expressway, heading in the opposite direction. The motor of my Bugatti purred as I pushed the pedal toward the floor.

There was someone anticipating my arrival, and I refused to keep her waiting. Mindlessly, I painted the Clarke streets with the rubber of my tires. It wasn’t until I reached the stop sign in the quiet neighborhood nestled on Mt. Clarke that I slowed my wheels to a creep.

I toyed with the hair on my chin as the gates to the far from humble adobe parted to welcome me. My racing heart slowed two notches. The tightness in my chest, however, proceeded.

The road that led to Rome’s home was paved for a princess. It ended at the palace that had been prepared for her. When time permitted, I would carefully comb over the property to familiarize myself with the grounds. I doubt it would be possible in a day, but I’d get it done eventually.

My journey up the small set of steps was brief. I ended it at the elevated frosted glass door that allowed the homeowner to peer out but was impossible for those standing on the other side to see through.

“Aight, nigga,” I whispered through a chuckle.

I was having an outerbody experience. Nothing felt real, but everything felt right.

Perfect. Just as it should be. Behind the glass was a woman I’d thought of, dreamt of, and waited years for.

I didn’t know her name. I didn’t know her age.

I didn’t know how she looked. I didn’t know where she was in the world. But, I knew she existed.

From a young boy, I knew the woman for me was out there. I kept my head on my paper and my hands on the ball as I prepared a great life for her. For us. For our family. And, when she didn’t show her face by the age that I’d seen clearly year after year, I settled.

Somehow, I felt cowardly for doing so. Somehow, I felt like I owed her an apology. Somehow, I felt like I’d spend the rest of my life with that regret.

With a raised finger, I prepared to push the doorbell. I fell short. My eyes followed the sudden movement with promises of the happiest ending. They didn’t disappoint.

Mellow. I breathed out, but the word never left my mouth.

She was the calmest chaos I’d ever encountered. The good kind that caused confusion and clarity simultaneously. She was a subtle storm.

She was covered in chocolate from her head to her toe. The white of her eyes, the gold lock on her shoe and the perfectly whitened teeth helped identify parts of her in the darkness. She blended effortlessly with the night. Her threads melted against her skin.

Goddamn, baby girl .

I straightened my posture and cleared my throat. She made a nigga want to straighten up. Step up. Shut up. And, put up.

I moved closer, needing a closer encounter with the mythical creature of my wildest imagination. She smelled like vanilla. And, honey. And, citrus. And, a garden. And, horny.

I stepped back, putting a full foot between us. My manhood had gotten the signal from my nostrils. Her arousal was as pleasant as her perfume. It quickly became my favorite fragrance.

My blood rushed to my shaft, stiffening it instantly.

It was inevitable, so pretending my rigidness didn’t exist wasn’t in my plans.

Her eyes fell, acknowledging what she’d done.

Through hazy orbs, she sighed. Her tongue exited her mouth and swiped from one side of those oversized lips to the other.

My semen was summoned. I suppressed it with a long exhale.

I pulled my right hand down my cheek, leaning my head toward the left.

“Saint.”

The faint sound that escaped her mouth made my heart explode in my chest. The pressure was far too great. The tightness finally subsided, but I had an entirely new mess on my hands.

“Rome,” I exclaimed, taken back by her beauty.

Her flawlessness.

Her charm.

Her ability to capture parts of me that had never been explored.

Her magnetic energy.

Her nature.

Her fragility.

Her gentleness.

Her tenderness.

Her quietness.

Her spirit.

Her .

I stepped forward again, unable to contain my gratitude for her willingness to spend time with me tonight. Uninterrupted time. Personal time. Time alone.

“Good evening.”

“Good evening.” She nodded, breath caught in her throat.

She swallowed though there was nothing in her mouth. While I could think of at least one thing that belonged there, it wasn’t. Not yet.

Sac . I chastised, recentering myself.

Each time I saw her pretty, blemish-free face, it became more difficult to restrain myself. Intimacy beyond the bedroom was my current interest, but she made it harder and harder to think of anything other than those long legs on my shoulder and my face buried between them.

“You’re beyond this world, Rome.”

I shook my head, taking her in for the second time.

“If perfect was a person.”

I admired her openly and watched her face neutralize in the process. She wasn’t a stranger to compliments. She accepted them without deflecting or redirecting me.

She wanted to make sure I knew exactly what I had on my hands. She wanted me to understand she was far from average. She wanted me to understand that she was of a different caliber of woman.

She needed to hear out of my mouth that she was a rare gem. She needed to know that I understood her presence was a blessing. She needed to be sure I knew that I wouldn’t get two chances to fuck up because, before I could completely fuck up the first round, she’d be a faint memory.

Rome secreted confidence. The silent, unannounced kind. The kind that one knew simply by encountering her. She reminded me of a bear in hibernation. Even when silent, we knew its power.

“Perfect is a person, silly.”

She extended her hand for me to accept. I pressed the back of her palm against my lips and kissed gently.

It is . I agreed.

She stepped down with my assistance, although she didn’t need it. I led her to my car. It wasn’t until she was safely inside and I rested against the driver’s seat did I realize she hadn’t locked her door.

“Your key?” I asked, hand out.

“For?”

“To lock your door.”

She settled in, pulling out a compact mirror that was round and gold in color.

“Don’t worry, Saint. Raegan has it covered.”

“Raegan?”

“The intelligence system my home is operating on.”

I could feel the features of my face contort before relaxing. The idea of a smart home controlled by a complete operating system sounded more beneficial by the second.

“Fancy girl–” I chuckled.

“Can you handle her?” Rome asked, never taking her eyes off her reflection in the mirror.

“If I couldn’t I wouldn’t have wasted either of our time.”

“That’s the spirit, Sac,” she encouraged, closing the mirror and stuffing it back in the purse that was small enough to fit in her hand.

Her back was nearly bare. It pressed against the seat as she found comfort.

Fucking ridiculous . God had done well for Himself.

Rome never took her eyes off the road. She was focused. Her eyes were wide and bright. Her teeth sparkled from behind her glossed lips. Her adrenaline pumped harder as the miles per hour increased on the dashboard until finally, the engine roared at the stoplight near our destination.

My wheels came to a screeching halt. Everything around us grew still.

Everything but her chest. It rose and fell dramatically.

Slowly, her head turned in my direction.

Those pretty teeth were on full display.

She was fascinated. Not with the whip or the wheels but with the liberation they offered combined.

With haste, I ejected my body from the car. I pushed forward, swiftly rounding the car. By the time her door opened, I was in front of it. In front of her. She peered up at me with curious eyes.

“Get out, Mellow.”

“Saint–”

“In the driver’s seat.”

The hues shining onto the car changed as the light did. Green bounced from the black coat, crossing her beautiful skin.

“I can’t,” she said, shaking her head.

“Yes you can.” I squatted down beside her.

Honk.

Honk .

“Saint, we should go.”

“They can wait. I’m not worried about them. You’re my only concern.”

“I know but–” She sighed, forging a smile as her hand lifted to my upper right cheek.

She inhaled deeply and tilted her head rightward as if she was preparing me for disappointment. The only way she could disappoint me was cutting me out of her world now that I was here. Nothing else could disrupt my heart or happiness at the moment.

Honk.

Honk.

I lifted my body, causing her hand to fall back into her lap.

The honking horn behind us was beginning to grind every gear I possessed.

I obliterated the distance between my car and theirs.

Before I could get to the passenger’s window, the car reversed its wheels and then shifted gears to pass us by.

Honk.

Honk.

Honk.

Honk.

Annoyingly, they continued honking until they were further down the road.

Bitch ass nigga . I grunted inwardly.

Back in front of Rome, I leaned onto the car and lowered my head so that I could see her clearly.

“But what? Talk to me, Mellow.”

She paused before looking past me.

“I don’t drive, Saint.”

“I didn’t think you did, but you can drive tonight.”

“No. It’s not just that I don’t drive. I can’t drive.”

I nodded, tapping on the roof. “Not for long, baby girl. Not for long.”

I sealed both doors before taking off, not caring that the light was red or that there were motorists behind us. I had a new mission in life and the thought of it had me amped.

Mission #1: Teach Mellow to drive.

Mission #2: Make Mellow fall in love with me.

Mission #3: Give Mellow the ring she deserves.

Mission #4: Fill Mellow with the babies I deserve.

Mission #5: Live happily in this lifetime.

Mission #6: Find her sooner in the next one .