Page 15 of Suleem and Yahzi (D-Ville Projects #1)

“We’ll see.” Miesha pulled the elastic holder from my hair, raked her fingers through it, and massaged my crown. “It’s pretty much dry but I’m still gonna use the dryer so the braids don’t get tight.”

She lifted a cape and draped it around my shoulders.

“You getting your hair done for the block party tomorrow?”

I forgot all about the block party DP sponsored.

It was a huge thing and happened every summer.

One of the many ways DP attempted to right some of their wrongs.

Regardless of the blood on their hands and the sins in their hearts, they did a lot for the community and the block party was one of those good things.

They pretty much shut down the entire neighborhood for a day, bringing out food trucks to feed everyone, activities for the kids, and a DJ.

Local vendors set up to sell their products and everyone in the surrounding area supported the neighborhood.

For that one day, we were all family. I had missed it for the past three years but the thought of being able to attend put a smile on my face.

“No, I didn’t know it was tomorrow.”

“Your man didn’t tell you? Isn’t that his shit?

” one of the women in the waiting area said snidely and I glanced at her, reading the jealousy all over her face.

Either she fucked Suleem in the past or wanted to in the future.

I didn’t fight eager bitches over men. Fading hoes would never stop a man from slinging dick if that’s what he chose to do.

As long as she kept her feelings to herself, she could miss me with her pipe dreams about fucking one of DP’s most revered.

“You know all these hoes thought you were an urban legend.”

I frowned and glanced at her in the mirror while she plugged in the dryer. “What you mean?”

“Bank, I mean Leem be fucking women but he don’t wife ’em. He barely even talks to them and rumor said it was because he had a girl. Nobody ever saw him with anyone so nobody believed it. They just thought he was a dog ass nigga.”

“Didn’t he just tell you not to ask her no stupid shit?” the stylist in the station next to ours said, rolling her eyes

“I didn’t ask her a damn thing. I’m just telling her we know who she is.”

“Let him find out you’re in his business,” she shot back and I rolled my eyes when they got into a full blown argument. I decided to let them have it and removed my headphones, pushed them in my ears, and put on a playlist.

Miesha worked fast, and by the time she had half done, Suleem showed up with a soda, honeybun, and two bags of Cool Ranch Doritos.

When he lifted a few braids and wrapped them around his hand, grinning, everybody in the shop was whispering about how I was gonna get fucked good tonight.

I wanted to be mad but there was no point. He was who he was.

It took her four hours instead of three because I ended up getting them a little smaller than I originally planned with triangle parts instead of squares.

By the time she was done, my back was tight and my neck was tense from holding my head straight and at awkward angles for hours but my braids were cute.

She did a good job, which meant I would be back.

My parts were tight and my braids were smooth with no kinks or rough sections.

I texted Suleem and chilled in the waiting area, hoping he wouldn’t be long because I was tired of these hoes looking at me like the answer to how I locked him down would magically appear on my face.

We spent the day shopping for my dress and a suit for Suleem to wear to Miss Chandra’s reception dinner later. It was so easy for us to settle back into the space we were in before I left and I realized why. I was comfortable being with him and he was at peace being with me.

When we made it back to his apartment, I laid out our clothes and was about to get in the shower when Suleem came into the room, raked his fingers through his hair, then wrapped his arms around me.

“You didn’t tell me the block party was tomorrow.”

“Didn’t really think about it.”

“Am I supposed to be there?” I turned my head and looked at him while Suleem lifted one of my braids and rolled it between his fingers.

“You know we sponsor that shit.”

He buried his face in my neck and pushed his hands under my shirt. “That’s not an answer.”

“You’re me, Yah, so if I’m there, you’re there.” He bit my neck then kissed the same spot. “You got your shit with you?”

I threw my head back and looked up at him and he added, “I need a cut before we head out. You gon’ get me right?”

I couldn’t suppress the smile that spread onto my face. “You trust me to cut your hair?”

He smiled sexily. “Shit, maybe not if your ass is asking me that.”

I laughed and turned in his arms. “Stop. I got skills.”

“Nah, you ain’t got shit ’cause your references are other niggas and I would never take another man’s word about what my lady can or can’t do.”

“Then you have to trust me.”

He lowered his mouth to mine. “I trust you more than I trust myself and I’m a solid ass nigga. My loyalty is unparalleled.”

My eyes rolled before I lifted onto my toes and pecked his lips again. “Let me get my stuff, meet me in the kitchen.”

“Ah shit, your ass is too fucking happy. I might need to pass on this. You might fuck my shit up.”

“Nigga.” I shoved him in the chest and he chuckled, walking out the room and raking his fingers over his waves.

My regular clippers were still at the shop in Crescent Falls but I had my backup set with me. I brought a towel from the bathroom and draped it around his shoulders after he removed his shirt.

I lifted a brush and moved it over his head before I used it on the sides. The minute I turned the clippers on, he grabbed my wrists, moved me in front of his body, and brought me between his legs. “If you fuck my shit up I’m gonna be mad as hell, Yah.”

“I thought you trusted me.”

“Shit, I do, but this my head you playing with.”

“I’m not going to mess your head up.” I bent down and kissed him before stepping from between his legs and moving to the side.

“Hold up, take your pants off.”

“I’m cutting your hair, we’re not fucking.”

He chuckled, then smiled in a way that exposed the gold outlined canines from his grill and yanked at his beard, fixing his eyes on me. It was so damn sexy when he did that.

“I’m not trying to fuck. I’m just in my feelings and shit. You been cutting niggas’ hair for the past three years. You not gonna give me the same shit you gave them, so take your pants off. I want to watch that ass move while you’re doing your thing.”

“You’re so extra.”

I put my clippers down, then pushed my leggings over my thighs and down my legs before I stepped out of them, leaving me in a pair of panties.

My shirt was still knotted on the side, so my ass was on full display.

I turned and bent over, touching my toes, right in front of him, giving Suleem a full view and he grabbed my cheeks, digging his fingers into my skin before he kissed them both.

“Being extra? Nah. Taking extra? Hell yeah.”

After I stood up again, I moved around him and lifted my clippers. “Happy now?”

“I’m cool, long as you get me right.”

“I told you I got you.”

When I tilted his head and got to work, I bit down on my lip, concentrating while I worked my magic.

Between fading his sides, I massaged his scalp with my other hand and raked my fingers through his hair, letting my nails drag over his scalp.

I also made sure I was close enough to let my body brush against his back, arms, and shoulders.

Suleem remained quiet the entire time but I felt his eyes on me whenever I was in his peripheral or direct line of sight. When I had to move between his legs to line him up, his hands started at my thighs then pushed up to my ass, holding me in place while I carefully edged him up.

Once I was done, I put the clippers on the counter and lifted the brush to remove the extra hair before gathering the towel. “I’m done, you want to go see?”

He raked his fingers over his waves and lifted from the chair.

I followed him into the bathroom and hopped onto the counter while he leaned toward the mirror, turning his head from side to side, dropping his chin to check out my work.

I knew I had skills but I was still nervous as hell waiting for his approval.

“You’re not gonna say anything?” He smirked and stepped between my legs, spreading my thighs.

“You did your thing. My tape is a little crooked but I fucks with it.”

“It is not.” I smiled and he chuckled, placing his palms flat on the counter so his face was level with mine.

“Nah, I’m just fucking with you. You got skills.”

“Thank you.” I looped my arms around his neck and accepted the kiss he delivered, dragging my nails through his hair and over his scalp.

“You gonna wash it for me?”

I nodded.

“Aight, come on then, so I can dig in them guts before we head out.”

He pecked my lips before he turned the shower on. I should have told him no because I knew good and damn well I wasn’t going to be worth shit after he was done with me and that might mean being a no-show for Miss Chandra’s reception.

When we were done with our shower, I sat on the bed and moisturized my body, feeling content and freshly fucked, but the high ended as quickly as it came when Suleem got a call which pissed me off and sent me into panic mode at the same time.

A call that shouldn’t have ended up on his phone and should have come to mine, which meant he had some explaining to do.

But that would have to wait because right now my mother was the priority.