Page 9 of Suleem and Yahzi
After he shut off the engine, I reached for the handle and he yanked his door open, talking at the same time.
“You know better than to touch that fucking door, Yah. You haven’t been away from me that long.” The lazy, deep rasp of his tenor brought a smile to my face because some things never changed. He rounded the vehicle and opened my door. As soon as I was on my feet and the door was shut, he backed me against it, leaning his body into mine.
“I fucked enough women to know none of them would ever be you. I also never gave them anything but a nut. I get that you had every right to live your life but trust and believe, I’m notokay with that shit if you let that nigga have access to anything other than what I was giving these women. If I find out you did, my body count will be increasing. Unless you want that on your heart, keep that shit to yourself. And you’re right about that slick shit you said but not in the way you meant it. You don’t fit in my world because youaremy world. Now act like you know what the fuck this is.”
He could handle me having sex with another man, barely, but he was damn sure not okay with me caring about one. The warning was clear and I wouldn’t play with anyone’s life like that. I liked Dexter but hadn’t been with him long enough to have any real feelings for him. I also didn’t want to live with knowing I was the reason his life was cut short.
Suleem kissed me then backed away, moving to the rear of his Jeep to get my things. When I tried to help he mumbled he had it and managed to juggle my suitcase, two duffle bags, and my backpack.
We took the elevator to the top floor which used to be four units but was now occupied by only Kassir and Suleem. A few years back, the city wanted to gentrify the neighborhood with hopes of appealing to middle class families. They updated the entire building and the surrounding area. Tenured residents were allowed first right of refusal for the remodeled rental units and also those for sale. If they chose to stay in their rental units, they were grandfathered into their original rates, but new tenants paid the new prices. They even changed the name from Douglasville Projects to Meadow View Apartments but anyone from the area still called them D-Ville Projects.
Suleem and Kassir purchased the entire tenth floor and knocked out walls to create two expansive apartments that they occupied.
When we stepped on the elevator, Suleem used his key card to gain access to the tenth floor. We walked to his door and he nodded to the keypad. “You know the number.”
I keyed my birthday, opened the door, and shivered as soon as I crossed the threshold. It was cold as hell in here. It smelled like him. Sandalwood and bergamot blended with a light hint of whatever he smoked recently. “I see you’re still a polar bear.”
He chuckled and walked past me, heading toward the back. I followed him and frowned when he took my stuff to his room. I walked past the door and checked the other three bedrooms, frowning deeper when I noticed none of them were furnished. Walking back to his room I found my stuff piled on the floor near the foot of the bed while Suleem dug through the nightstand on my side of the bed.
After he had what he needed, he walked to me and extended the keycard I left behind when I made the decision that we no longer worked. Seconds later he was towering over me with a scowl enhancing his features.
“Here.”
“I don’t need that.”
He shook his head and shoved it in my front pocket. “It’s late. I’m about to blaze something before I go to bed. You know where everything is.”
“I’m not sleeping in here.”
“There aren’t any other beds, Yah. Where else you think you gon’ sleep?”
“On the sofa or I can…”
“You can get your ass in that bed is what you can do. I’m tired as hell and I don’t have the energy to debate pointless shit with you right now.”
Pointless?He only had one bed and expected me to sleep in it with him.
“You only have one bed in here. That bed…” I pointed to it and he frowned hard. So I added, “I don’t know who’s been in there with you.”
He smiled sexily, exposing that bottom grill. It was gold and ran across his gums, outlining the lower canines. His thug ass was too arrogant and too sexy. I was so caught up in him that I missed when he closed the space between us. I could feel him, smell his cologne, but he didn’t touch me.
“The only woman who’s been in this apartment since you left is my aunt and she damn sure ain’t been in that bed.” He gently placed his hand on my hip then kissed my temple. “It’s late and I know your ass isn’t built for late nights. Go to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Suleem walked off like his word was law. That’s just how he operated. As sexy as his confidence was, it drove me crazy because his ego was so damn big. He was right though. It was late and I wasn’t built for this. I was good to make it past eleven most nights, so at this point I was running on empty. I dug through my duffel and found pajamas and panties before heading to the bathroom to shower.
When I was done, I climbed in bed, sighing at how comfy the bedding and mattress felt against my tired limbs and smiling when my head sank into the pillow. I inhaled the scent of Suleem’s cologne and for the second time tonight everything in me realized I was home.
I hadno idea how long I had been asleep before I felt my body shifting. Cold air briefly touched my skin then I had the firmness and heat of someone followed by the bedding. I snuggled intothe warmth and the familiar scent of sandalwood and bergamot which infiltrated my nose and calmed me. I relaxed because it took a minute for my brain to catch up. When I realized who was next to me, my eyes shot open and I tried to pull away.
“Yah, chill and take your ass back to sleep,” Suleem mumbled but I couldn’t just ignore what we were doing. No matter how familiar and right it felt to be in bed with him, we had things to discuss and work out.
“We need to talk.”
“Not at four in the morning. That shit can wait.”
I backed away from him and sat up. Suleem rolled onto his back, tossed one arm over his face, and groaned his disapproval. Even in the darkness of his room, I could see how sexy he was. Leem was easily six foot five, two hundred and forty pounds. His body was large and solid but had very few tattoos. The signature DP his neck, one woven into the design of the clip he got when he turned eighteen, and also one on the back of his right hand. The rest of his skin was ink free but plenty of battle wounds littered his body.
“It can’t wait. I’m here, in your bed. We need to have a conversation.”
