Coveted (12 page)

“
Thanks man. I will be sure to give you a call soon.”

I am ecstatic. I may have a job in the field that I love so much. I am about to relocate downtown and get rid of that big house in Potomac, MD. My life is definitely looking up. I think I just may go to church on Sunday. I go get my chilidog.

As I am, leaving Ben’s Chili Bowl, and making my way back to the car, my cell phone vibrates and Haven’s number pops on the screen.

Would this woman ever leave me alone? I mean DAMN! I debate whether to answer, then finally give in. You never know, something might be wrong with Kaven.

“
Yeah?” I say as I pick up.

“
What do you mean yeah? Is that how you’re answering my calls these days?”

“
Haven I don’t have time for the games. What do you want? I’m busy.”

“
Too busy for me baby?” she croons.

I pull the phone away from my ear and stare at it. This chick is crazy.

“
Yeah, pretty much. Unless this has something to do with Kaven, I have to go.”

“
WAIT! Don’t hang up…uh…I was wondering if you would like company tonight?”

“
Bitch please! Have you completely lost your damn mind? I want nothing to do with you. My hand will give me better company than anything you can offer. Do you understand? Anything that we had going is over and done. You are psycho! You cost me Naima. You are lucky I let you breathe. Now stay the hell away from me,” I say and hang up my cell.

Women never cease to amaze me, always thinking that they are God’s gift to men. They think that the world revolved around their asses. Haven has some nerve, crazy bitch. Something tells me she is going to be a problem. Maybe it is time I give some serious thought to this situation. It may be time to handle Haven once and for all.

Mr. Fairchild I believe that you will love the Northwestern side of the District. It has everything
that you
are asking for - serenity, peace of mind, and quiet. This is the rural part of DC. Many come and are skeptical at first, but soon learn that it is a place to be cherished.

My realtor must have been reading my mind when he made that comment before he proceeded to show me around. Now that I am looking at the area, it looks quaint enough, but I am thinking about tourist season and millions of people…more along those lines. However, there was a sense of serenity about the area as he mentioned.

Then he turns onto Maryland Avenue, with me following in my Lamborghini, and there is my house sitting up on the hill. I mean there is nothing spectacular about the house. It is a townhouse and is plain in appearance but it has my name written all over it.

I pull out my cell and called my realtor.

“I want that house right there, the one at the top of the hill.”

My realtor points out the ‘SOLD’ sign in the front of the house.

“I want that house,” I tell him again. “Make it happen.”

“You haven’t even seen the inside of the house or how much it costs or –.”

I cut him off mid sentence.

“Listen, that’s the house I want end of discussion. I am not worried about cost. Just see to it that I am moving in as soon as possible. Whatever it takes, I don’t give a damn just get me into the house.”

With that said, I disconnect from the call. I do not have time for discussion.

I have to run past Naima’s parent’s house this evening so I can see Namiyah and Kalani. Naima is allowing me one visit a week - that just became effective today. This is mainly a courtesy of Naima, since she sent the divorce papers and a request for full custody of our children. To tell the truth, I just want to see her. I have not seen her in six weeks. I am anxious to see if just maybe I can talk her into going to dinner with me tonight. You never know, stranger things have happened.

I arrive at my soon to be ex-in-laws home, to see the kids playing in the yard. Namiyah is flying around
the house in her rollerblades and Kalani is following behind her on his big wheel. I smile in spite of myself. They really are some gorgeous kids. I might not want to take care of them, but that does not mean that I do not love them. There is no denying that Naima and I have some great genes.

“Daddy!” Namiyah screams as I get out of the car, and rolls over to me. I lean down and pick her up as she promptly gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Where have you been? We’ve only been at Granny and Granddad’s forever,” she asks me.

“Your dad has been trying to get over here its just a lot has been on my plate,” I tell her as I put her back down.

“Oh,” she huffs and rolls away.

I feel a thump at my ankle and look down. Kalani has bumped into me with his big wheel.

“How’s my big man?” I ask him as I bend down, scoop him up, and proceed to the front door.

“I no big man, I Kalani,” he informs me.

I chuckle softly, “You’re Kalani and my big man. You can be both,” I tell him. Then he lays his head on my shoulder and sighs. I feel a slight twinge of regret. I do miss times like this. I did not get too many moments like this with Namiyah. I was always at a game or on a road trip or partying. I never had any time to sit back and let my baby girl rest her head on my shoulder. I bet Naima has all type of memories like this. I missed everything with all three of my kids. I missed first words, first teeth, first crawls, first steps, and Namiyah and Kaven’s first days of school. Maybe this time around, I will get to see Kalani off to school.

I enter into the house. “Hey, anybody home?” I shout.

“Boy, don’t you come in this house keeping all of that noise,” says Mrs. Cynthia, Naima’s mother, as she comes from around the corner.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Cynthia. I didn’t see Naima’s car outside, and didn’t hear anyone in here.”

“That still ain’t no reason to go around shouting in people’s houses,” she chastised wearily. “Naima stepped out for a little while, and she should be back shortly.”

Namiyah walked in at that moment.

“Mommy went on a date. She looked real pretty when she left too. She let me help her get dressed and let me put on some of her lipstick. It was fun.”

“Namiyah hush your face and go wash up for dinner.”

“Aww…but Granny I wasn’t finished skating. I just came in to use the bathroom.”

“I understand you want to play baby, and I promise tomorrow you can go back out when you get home from school, okay? Right now it is time for dinner, so go wash your face and hands.”

“Okay,” she says as she crosses her arms and sticks out her bottom lip, while heading for the steps.

“
Naima went on a date?” I turn and ask Mrs. Cynthia as she comes to take a sleeping Kalani out of my arms.

“
As a matter of fact-,” Mrs. Cynthia started, when the front door opened.

“
Hey mom! I’m back.” Naima says. Her voice sends tingles down my spine. I have not seen her in six weeks. It feels like forever. She has yet to see me around the other side of the foyer wall. “I had the best time with Da-.” She stops.

“
Naima look who’s here,” Mrs. Cynthia interrupts, as she turns to take Kalani up the stairs. Damn. I wanted to hear who she went out with.

“
Who? Is it Kaden?” she asks while she proceeds to walk through the foyer. “I thought I saw his car outside. I know he was supposed to come by and see the kids this evening.”

She comes around the corner looking like a movie star. She was in the wrong industry. She needs to be on someone’s big screen or on billboards. I am so stupid. How could I have lost this woman? She stops when she sees me. I cannot see her eyes beneath her shades, but it looks as if she had to catch her breath.

“
Hello Kaden, how have you been?” she asks as she kicks off her shoes, pushes her shades on top of her head, sits on the couch in the living room.

“
I’ve been doing okay. How about you? How have you been the last couple of weeks?” I ask as I follow her into the living room. I feel like a dog in heat or something. I want to be close to Naima so bad. I want to feel her and run my fingers through her long silky hair.

“
Happy,” is her response.

“
So what does that mean? I didn’t make you happy?”

“
Kaden let’s not get into it, okay? I’m tired and I don’t want to be bothered with this right now.”

“
Naima I was just asking a question. No need to get defensive. It’s not like I asked who you went out on a date with.”

“
Oh, so that is what this is all about? You found out that I was on a date, and now you are stuck in your feelings. I do not have time for this. I am going to bed. If you wish to stay, you can eat dinner with Namiyah and put her to bed if you like. You know Kalani cannot hang; he will be knocked out until tomorrow. Good night.”

“
Wait…don’t leave.” I say as I reach for her. “There’s something that I have been meaning to ask you.”

She takes a deep breath and asks, “What is it?”

“
I want to know if you think that there may ever be a chance of us working this out, and maybe, if we took it really slow, be able to be together again?”

“
Kaden let’s not do this. I gave you everything I had to offer, and you just took, took and took. You never gave me anything in return. You never gave me your time or your affection.” She pauses and her eyes start to water. “There is nothing left in me to give to you. No more, time, no more affection, nothing. I am done. Love was enough to get us together, but it was not enough to keep us together. I wish you no ill will. I will not stand in the way of you seeing your kids, but there will never be anything else between you and me besides co-parenting. Good night.”

Then she retreats up the stairs. I sit on the couch and put my head in my hands. I lost. She was not coming back.

Mrs. Cynthia came back in the room and saw me with my head bent down in my hands.

“
Kaden are you staying for dinner? Namiyah wants you to. She’s almost done with her bath and should be joining us shortly.” She takes a closer look at me. “You doing okay?” she asks.

“
Mrs. Cynthia I messed up. I messed up real bad. I do not think I will be staying for dinner. Can you tell my little muffin that I will see her next week when I come to visit?” I did not listen for a reply. I grab my keys off the table and head for the door.

Damir 11

Naima walked out of the bathroom, in an indigo towel with her long, black hair dripping down her
back. I like the way it waves up at the ends and sticks to her caramel skin. Everything about this woman excites me. From the way, she looks up at me with those hazel eyes, all the way down to her perfectly pedicured toes.

I can tell she is nervous by the way, she flips her hair over her shoulder and gives a little giggle, almost as if she is unsure of herself. My job is to make her feel as comfortable as possible. I reach for her hand and she takes a deep breath and slowly reaches for mine in return. As I sit down on my bed, I gently pull her to stand in between my open legs. I bring her close and hug her as I bury my face into her flat stomach. She smells so good. She hesitantly brings her arm up, lays her hand on top of my head, and slowly begins to caress my scalp. I think that I am going to explode right here on the spot.

I gently grab her hand, stand up, sweep her up into my arms, and slowly lower her onto the bed. I have to force myself to go slow. I want her so badly and the anticipation is killing me. The way she keeps looking up at me, I know that if I do not do something fast, this is going to be a premature night. I decide to distract myself by concentrating on getting her out of that wet towel that she is clutching rather tightly.

She astounds me. Everything about Naima is perfect the way that she breathes, and the way that her symmetrical, copper nipples rise and fall with each breath. I am enchanted. She has a naval ring that says
Naughty
, and a bikini wax that I cannot wait to kiss.

I swear this woman is going to kill me if I did not do something soon. My insides are screaming for release, aching for her. I look into her eyes, slowly lower my head, and suck on her bottom lip. The way that she responds to my touch is amazing.

Her breathing is growing shallow as she starts to arch her back and moan. No woman had ever been this responsive from a solitary kiss from me. I decide to explore her body more to see what type of reaction I can ignite from her. I begin kissing her neck and lightly bite her collarbone and she continues to moan softly as my mouth closes around her nipple. I softly tug at it and she let out a sigh and a little whimper. I did not think it was possible, but I immediately grow harder from the sounds she is making.