Page 72 of Juke
Sophi was laid out on my chest, her breathing finally slowing after I’d fucked every sound out of her. My hand stayed on her hip, sliding slow just because I couldn’t stop touching her. The thought of pulling another round out of her was heavy on me.
I kissed the top of her head, shifted a little. “You know we not done, right?”
She groaned and pushed at me, laughing soft. “Rashad… yes, we are. We’ve got to get ready.”
“Ready for what?” I smirked, pressing my mouth to her neck. “Dinner can wait.”
“No, it can’t,” she said, sitting up and shooting me that look. “We’re going to your grandparents’.”
I lay back, shaking my head with a grin. “Man, you lucky they the only people I respect enough to pull me out this bed.”
She stood, tugging the sheet around her, laughing as she disappeared into the closet. “Mhm. Hurry up before we’re late.”
We cleaned up, got dressed, and moved around the condo together, like we’d been doing it for years. Watching her fix her hair in the mirror while I adjusted my watch, it hit me how normal it all felt. Like this was really meant to be.
On the drive over, she had one hand on my arm while the other rested against her stomach without her even noticing. That little move had me staring every time.
“You ever think about what kind of parents we’ll be?” she asked, looking out the window before glancing at me.
“All the time,” I stated. “I know you gone be the soft one, while I’ma be the one laying down rules I dare them to break.”
“Balance.” She smiled.
“Exactly.” I squeezed her hand. “Ain’t no way we messing this up. Baby already got everything it needs—me and you.”
She got quiet for a second, like she was soaking it in. “I just don’t want to mess it up,” she admitted finally.
“You won’t.” I kissed her knuckles. “Only way you could fail is if you didn’t love the baby, and I know that’s impossible. You already love too hard.”
The rest of the ride was filled with small talk about names, the kind of baby clothes she wanted to buy, even her laughing aboutme not knowing the difference between a crib and a bassinet. All I knew was that their lil’ ass was sleeping in their own bed and not in mine, getting in my way.
We pulled up in front of the house, and I killed the engine before glancing over at her. She’d been here before, but I could tell she still got that little flutter of nerves every time.
“You good?” I asked, hand sliding to her thigh.
She nodded quick, then smiled at me. “Yeah. Just… they always make me feel at home. It’s nice.”
“’Cause you are at home,” I told her. “They love you already.”
As we walked through that door, I wasn’t just thinking about dinner. I was thinking about how, for the first time in a long time, everything around me felt steady.
The second the door opened, the smell of fried chicken and cornbread hit me straight in the face. I felt like being a kid again, walking into my granny’s kitchen after school.
“Boy, close my door before you let my air out!” Granny’s voice carried from the dining room before we even stepped in.
We rounded the corner, and just like always, Pops was at the head with a glass of brown liquor in his hand. Uncle Mason and Aunt Angie were already deep in conversation while Deion was on his phone. CiCi glared like she was two seconds from cursing whoever was on her phone out. MJ had Robin tucked close, his hand resting on her belly. My mama and Jacob showed up this week since he was back in town.
“Lord,” Granny said, standing up. “Sophi, come here, baby. Don’t let this fool keep you in the doorway.”
Sophi’s smile lit the entire room as she went straight into Granny’s arms. Pops leaned forward with his grin wide. “Good to see you, girl. You keeping this one out of trouble?”
“She’s trying,” I cut in, sliding my arm around her waist.
“Somebody’s gotta keep you in line, cuz,” CiCi chimed, smirking. “She got her work cut out.”
“Mhm,” Aunt Angie said, passing a dish down the table. “Pretty as she is, I still don’t know how she put up with your hard head.”
“Y’all ain’t gone keep trying me like I ain’t a good nigga. Mama, you gone let them talk about your boy like that?” I smirked, dropping into a chair with Sophi beside me.
