Page 14 of Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming

RANSON

R anson sits in between Big Head and Jamar.

Three large men squeezed into one car is not how he enjoys traveling, but Uncle Doc insisted they take one car.

Apparently, Jamar’s girlfriend broke up with him and left.

There’s concern he might wander off and talk to ladies, if left unsupervised for too long.

Uncle Doc believes it will be easier to corral him into one car then let him drive by himself.

This young brother reminds me so much of Chance, it’s insane .

Ranson chuckles at the thought.

“What’s so funny, money bags?” Big Head asks.

“I was just thinking of how much Jamar reminds me of Chance,” Ranson answers.

“Ah, word?” Jamar smiles brightly. “That’s your brother with the two girlfriends, right?”

“Yes.” Ranson shakes his head thinking about his baby brother.

Chance is the youngest Hamilton, and true to form, he gets away with everything.

That kid got two girls pregnant at the same time when he was seventeen, no less, and the two girls agreed to be in a throuple with him .

Ranson continues, “Both baby girls just turned five. Chance is an amazing father and a good boyfriend to the two ladies. They’ve managed to make their unconventional little family work.”

Chance has said that he had a good example with the mommy trio. Ranson couldn’t agree more.

Meanwhile, Michaela—who Parker should leave the Hamilton empire to—is trying to convince Chance to make their family into a limited reality series, airing back-to-back with her and Hunter’s show, but Chance doesn’t want his kids on camera.

Whenever the moms share photos of them, the kids’ faces are never shown.

“What about me reminds you of him?”

“Your optimism. So far, how many girlfriends have you introduced your family to?”

“Shhiiittt, a bunch. Pops and I lost count. Ain’t that right, Pops?” Big Head replies.

“Lost count a long time ago,” Uncle Doc answers.

“I don’t know what it is, but whenever I meet a girl, I think she’s the one. And I can’t wait to share her with the people in my life,” Jamar says.

“You need to slow down, youngin’. You’re too eager,” Uncle Doc says. “Not every woman is the one.”

“Tell ’em, Doc,” Eckhart says.

“Uncle Eckahrt, how did you know Auntie Cerese was the one?” Jamar asks.

Ranson listens intently. Ever since Granddaddy Roosevelt’s story of meeting Granny Fran, Ranson eats these types of stories up.

“Simple. I just knew.”

“Wait, what?” Jamar says.

“You’ll know when you meet her. There will be something about her that will pull you toward her. You’ll want to be in her presence all the time, and you’ll do anything to make sure she’s happy. That’s the best way I can explain it,” Eckhart says.

“That’s what’s up, Uncle Ecks,” Big Head says. “That’s what I’m trying to have with Shereeta.”

Uncle Doc turns and addresses his son. “Big Head, leave that married lady alone.”

“Afraid I can’t do that, Pops. You heard what Uncle Ecks said. I have to be in her presence all the time.”

Ranson smiles, thinking about Lyric. She’s had him hook, line and sinker from the day they met, and he’s only fallen more since.

The men return home with a huge haul. Ranson dives into cleaning, scaling and gutting. Someone taps his shoulder. He turns and sees Lyric wearing white capri pants and a pale-yellow top. And just like Ranson suspected, it makes her skin pop.

“You look luminous.” Ranson grins.

“Thank you. You stink.”

“That’s hard work you’re smelling, sweetness.” Ranson winks.

“Hard work smells like stinky fish.”

“It’s killing me that I can’t hug you.”

“Take a thorough shower, where you get every inch of you clean, and you can hug me all you want. Hell, I’ll even let you hold me in your arms.”

“Bet.” He smiles.

Lyric

Lyric takes another bite out of a piece of fried bass, and it’s heaven.

She looks over at Ranson, who is laughing and joking with Jamar and Big Head.

Having him here at first felt like she was doing him a favor; taking him away from his family drama and allowing him to relax and have a good time with her people.

But it’s quickly become apparent that his presence has been amazing for her too.

Unlike Jamar, she rarely has brought a man to a family gathering.

She mainly brings the girls. None of them could make it this trip, but bringing Ranson has been a wonderful experience.

Even if he did get caught stealing moonshine for Gigi.

“Eunetta, is the cobbler almost ready?” Cerese asks.

“Just about. Speaking of which, girl, you know who I was thinking about?”

“Who?”

“Ms. Franny. You remember her? We used to head over to her place in Tupelo and get her blackberry and peach cobbler.”

“Girl, I still have dreams about that.”

Ranson looks over at the ladies and looks like he’s in shock.

“Ranson are you okay?” Lyric asks.

“Yeah, uh … Mrs. Fuqua?”

“Ms. Cerese, baby. There are a lot of Mrs. Fuqua’s here too.”

Ranson chuckles. “Of course. This Ms. Fran you’re talking about, did she have a husband named Roosevelt?”

“She sure did!”

“Those are my grandparents!” Ranson exclaims.

“No kidding? You know you look a little like Mr. Cobbs now that you mention it. Lyric, did you hear that? Your man’s people are from Mississippi.”

“I was born and raised there.” Ranson puffs out his chest with pride.

Record scratch! This is too much information to ingest . Ranson is Southern . And my momma and auntie knew his grandparents ?

“You’re Southern,” Lyric says, stunned.

“Yes ma’am,” he says with the return of his twang.

“But the Hamilton kids were all born and raised in LA,” Lyric replies.

Ranson gets up and offers her his hand. “C’mon, let’s take a walk.”

Lyric takes it, and they walk away hand in hand from the family, wandering into Uncle Doc’s large garden.

“Man, Patrick would love this.” Ranson beams.

“That’s the guy you’re introducing to Aimee?”

“Yep, and he’s very excited to meet her. I introduced her to him as ‘the good doctor’ as per her instructions.”

“And he’s cool with how she wants this to go down?”

“Very cool. Aimee definitely matches his freak.”

Lyric laughs, then looks at him like he’s a puzzle she’s trying to solve.

“How are you Southern?”

“I was born and raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. I was raised by my mother and grandparents before the age of fifteen. Then when granny and grandaddy died, it happened to coincide with Momma Peyton’s divorce from my dad, so my mom sold my grandparents’ house and moved us to LA so we could all be under one roof. ”

“Wow! The photos and articles on your family always made it seem like you all grew up together.”

“We did, just not in the conventional way. My family doesn’t do anything in a conventional way.

Me and my mom would come to LA, and my dad, and eventually my siblings and their moms, would come visit in Mississippi.

Hell, granddaddy always used to say he had eight grandkids instead of just me.

One of the last pictures taken of him is of him holding Chance as a baby, when he was at least one,” Ranson explains.

He has a dreamy look in his eyes like he’s thinking about the memory.

“You look out for them. That’s why you were worried about your dad. You give your disinherited siblings money, don’t you?”

“Every month. And my mom, too. It wasn’t just about Momma Dola, Lee and the other businesses. And it was more than just not wanting to be under my father’s thumb anymore. I’m the big brother, and I can’t look after them if he ruins me.”

Lyric shakes her head and lets out a whistle. “Damn. Handsome, sexy, generous, protective and Southern. Ukweli wasn’t playing when she sent you to me, was she?”

Ranson looks confused. “I’m sorry, who?”

“The psychic I was telling Big Head about. Me and the girls went to New Orleans for a girls’ trip.”

“I know y’all were cutting up. Were Roc and Pete with you?”

“Yep, and Aimee fucked both of them, hence Big Head’s comment yesterday.”

Ranson leans forward and lets out a guffaw.

“Anyway, we visited Ukweli’s shop, and she told us that we would meet the men of our dreams this year. We all ended up getting the two of cups when we pulled from the deck and she shuffled them each time.”

Ranson’s eyes grow wide. “Whoa!”

“You believe in that stuff?”

“Hell yeah, I’m surprised you don’t. There are plenty of unexplainable things out there. Besides, how else can you explain my falling in love with you in two weeks?”

He pulls her in his arms and kisses her.

“Not to mention I don’t want Ukweli to put a root on me,” he adds.

Lyric’s hands are on his chest as she laughs at his silliness.

“I love you, too, Ranson.”

They kiss some more. When they break apart, he lets us a satisfied hum.

“Mmm. Now, I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I was hoping we could get some alone time, so I booked us a hotel. Is that okay?”

“Why are we still standing here?”

He smiles and picks her up, carrying her to his car parked down the road in case they needed to get away without her family seeing.

Forty minutes later, they bust into the hotel room kissing, barely closing the door before they’re ripping off each other’s clothes.

Ranson breaks the kiss. “I’ve been tested, have you?”

“Yep. I’m all clear, and I’m on birth control.” Lyric smashes her lips against his.

She kisses his chin and jawline before biting him.

“Oh, fuck.”

They kiss some more, and Ranson, whose pants and underwear are around his ankles, picks Lyric up and shuffles to the bed before gently putting her down and opening her legs.

He pushes his dick inside of her.

“Oh, thank you,” Lyric moans.

“You’re welcome. Thank you, too,” Ranson chokes out.

Lyric giggles. “I meant thank you for no foreplay and getting right to it. I’ve been wanting your dick inside me since we met.”

“Got damn, Lyric. Baby, you cannot say shit like that while throbbing around me.” Ranson takes a breath.

“You’re so deep,” she whispers.

“Dear God, woman!” Ranson declares.

“There’s that accent,” Lyric teases.

“Your pussy definitely brings it out. Oh, shit, I was not ready.”

“Wasn’t ready for what, money bags?”

“Your pussy. Shit, Lyric, you’re so tight.”

“I do Kegels, and it’s well known that our sex drive goes up during our forties. You’re experiencing grown woman pussy right now.”

“Oh, God!” Ranson groans.

“Let me ride that dick.”

“Okay.”

Ranson gets on his back, and Lyric sinks down on him, causing him to grab her ass. She thrusts her hips forward, and his eyes roll into the back of his head.

“You okay there, baby?”

“Ahhh! Lyreee pussseee,” is all Ranson could get out.

“You like that shit, Ranson? Or should I say ‘Shakir?’”

He nods his head rapidly. “Call me whatever you want.”

“How much you love this pussy?”

“I love your pussy,” he whines.

“Say it again.”

“I love your pussy! Lyric, you’re gonna make me come.”

“Can’t have that. Not until I go first. You hear me? I come first and always.”

“You come first.”

“Good job. That’s my big Southern teddy bear,” Lyric grins.

Ranson thrusts his hips up as she sinks down. His hand is fisting her hair softly. They’re looking each other in the eyes as they fuck each other into next year.

“I love you,” Ranson whispers harshly.

“How much?” Lyric licks him from the bottom of his chin to the tip of his nose.

“Imma marry you without a prenup.”

“That’s hot. I want more.”

“I’ll kill anyone for you.”

“And my girls?”

“Yes!”

“Good, you’re about to make me come.”

Ranson tosses her off him, and she lands on the other side of the bed. He grabs her and pushes her head down while her ass is up. He flicks her clit with his tongue. She clenches her ass cheeks making him smack them.

Ranson covers her pussy with his whole mouth and wraps his arms around her legs holding her steady.

He looks up at her “You gon come in my mouth. Do it, Lyric! Come in my fucking mouth.”

Lyric grabs the sheets on the bed and shakes. Tears form in her eyes.

“Shakir!” she screams.

Time ceases to exist. It’s like in those TV shows where the world ends and there are two characters in a white void of nothingness …

that is, until Ranson brings her back by pulling her by the hips before slamming his dick back inside her from the back.

Upon her return back to Earth, Lyric responds by throwing her ass back and matching his every thrust.

“I thought I lost you for a minute,” he smacks her ass.

“Nuh-uh, not without me getting that nut.” Lyric bites her lip.

Ranson stiffens and squeezes the side of Lyric’s ass before he unloads.

He doesn’t yell like her. Instead, he growls ferociously before falling back on the bed and taking her with him. She ends up laying on his stomach. He pulls her so her head is on his chest and wraps his arms around her.