I pull out just in time to spurt on the floor. I grab myself and strings of cum hit her upper chest. She slides down my body, her wetness leaving streaks down my stomach and upper thighs. I kick my pants off, but I grab the pack of condoms from my pocket. I toss her over my shoulder and run to her bedroom. We fall on the bed, and I do my best not to crush her. With both of us naked, I rest between her spread legs and kiss those lips .
* * *
Hours later,I spoon her, and I feel her body tense at the closeness. I push that feeling aside and plant a loud kiss on her shoulder. I push her hair out of the way and kiss her long neck. The moonlight gives the room a golden hue, and I sigh in contentment. I don’t remember the last time I was so relaxed with a woman. Maybe I’ve never been. There have always been too many expectations of me to ever fully be relaxed. When I was in high school, it was the expectations of the professional league, and eventually, the money and celebrity that would yield. When I made it into the NBA, the women I met never wanted to get to know me. They wanted the athlete.
When Kelsey came into my life again, I held onto her. She was familiar. I’d known her since we were kids. I thought I understood her expectations of me, but that was all a lie too. Kelsey had changed, and not for the better, but I didn’t figure that out until it was too late.
I’ve never been with someone who had their own career, their own money, and who has already made their own path in life. Those responsibilities have always fallen on me. Victoria doesn’t want or need anything from me, and that’s freeing.
I kiss the back of her neck and start to feel myself getting hard again. She sighs and slowly turns to face me. She looks well loved. Her cheeks are flushed, and the expression on her face is relaxed and happy. I glide a finger down her neck and down her sternum.
“My queen, my liege,” I whisper in my fake British accent.
“I cast you away, peasant,” she says back. Unlike me, her British accent is much better. “You’re not worthy of being in the presence of royalty.”
“I throw myself at the mercy of my queen.” She giggles, and the sound is melodic. I pull her closer and kiss her soundly. “This is the best Friday night I’ve had in years.”
“Well, you have the privilege of being amongst your queen.” She laughs, and then her face changes. The laughter dies on her tongue and the cool relaxed look disappears. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I had imagined it. She breaks my stare and clears her throat.
I put a finger to her chin and discover she has a cleft. I tilt her head up so she can look at me. “Where’d you go?”
She moves her head, and I drop my hand. Suddenly the warmth in the room is replaced with a cold chill. “I have to get up early tomorrow. You should go.” She rolls away and climbs out of the bed, leaving me confused. “Your curiosity was piqued, but now that you got what you wanted—” She doesn’t finish her statement.
I stand and walk behind her. I rest both hands on her shoulders and slowly turn her around. She holds my stare briefly before looking away.
“Who hurt you?” I whisper.
She looks up at me in surprise, and I see a flash of softness, but it’s gone in an instant.
“Stick to basketball, not psychoanalysis.” She tries to pull away, but she weighs next to nothing, and I easily restrain her.
“You think I do this kind of thing all the time?”
“Don’t you?”
“No,” I say simply. “I don’t. I’m here because I like you.” I pull her into my body and wrap my arms around her. “You’re short. Did anyone ever tell you that?” I ask to lighten the mood.
She snorts into my chest, and the heaviness dissipates. “Everyone is short next to you, Gumby, or do you prefer string bean? And for the record, I’m not short. I’m the tallest woman in my family.” She puffs out her chest in pride at that declaration. I also notice she’s pulled herself to her full height, which is not much.
“Gumby? String bean?” I step away. “Look at this Greek God before you, my queen. You might be royalty, but you’re mortal. You’re amongst a God.” I strut around, doing my best to show off my muscles.
“Oh, milord. Forgive me. My mortal brain didn’t realize it was amongst a god.” I bow dramatically and kiss her hand.
“You know what I haven’t done in a long time?”
“What’s that?”
“Watch a movie with a girl I like.” I think that takes her by surprise.
She blinks three times. “God, you’re so boring. You want me to pop you some popcorn too?” But she laughs and goes into a walk-in closet. She returns in gray yoga pants and a matching crop top. Her bare feet hit the hardwood, and I admire her red nail polish. She straightens the bed and says, “Are you just going to stand there? I thought you wanted to watch a movie.” She walks out of the room while I remain in all my naked glory. She returns seconds later and throws my clothes at me. I put on my boxer shorts and tee, but don’t bother putting the jeans back on. Something tells me she would be mad about me leaving my jeans on her floor, so I leave them right where they are, her anger be damned.
I find her in the kitchen putting popcorn in the microwave. She points to the couch and says, “Gentleman’s choice. I’m already cringing. I bet you’re going to pick something boring. Maybe a documentary on the history and evolution of basketball.” She dramatically cringes. I walk to her and kiss the top of her head.
“I said movie, not documentary.”
She smirks and goes to her fridge.
“I’m going to make you a charcuterie board filled with vegetables and protein.” I smile, happy at the sweet gesture. “Let’s see if you can find something that won’t put me to sleep in five minutes, but knowing what I know about you, I doubt it.”
