Flirt (5 page)

Trey could barely contain himself, wanting her in the worst way. But it wasn’t long before they arrived at the ferry terminal. Trey paid the driver, hating that the ride had to end.

As they walked inside the terminal, they held hands. Chloe felt like she was floating on a cloud.

While they waited for the ferry to prepare for passenger boarding, Trey turned to Chloe. “You should spend the night with me,” he said. “We already catch the same boat in the morning. It would be nice to wake up next to you.”

Chloe shook her head. “I’m not ready for that,” she said. The last thing she wanted to do was sleep with Trey and have him stop lavishing her with the things she enjoyed. Chloe was a firm believer that having sex too soon could fuck up a good thing. Especially with an older man like Trey. She didn’t want him to lose interest, so she was holding out. She kept Jason around for sex and was satisfied with the arrangement. At this point in their romance, she was happy just to spend time with Trey, talk to him, flirt with him, and help him spend his money. She would take things as slowly as possible.

“We don’t have to have sex,” Trey assured her. “We can just talk or lay in bed and watch TV. It doesn’t have to be physical.”

You just finished feeling me up in the cab!
she thought. But she had to admit that it all felt so good.

Chloe thought about it as they boarded the ferry. She really liked Trey. In fact, she was hopeful that he would be “the one.” But they had only been seeing each other for close to two months, and she just didn’t want to mess up a good thing.

“I think that’s sweet,” she said. “But I just wanna go home tonight and get some sleep. I’m really exhausted. And I’m sure you have better things to do than to watch me sleep.”

Trey finally dropped it and settled for making the most of
the ride home. As the ferry headed from Lower Manhattan back to Staten Island, Trey pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. She nestled into his embrace, and together they watched the beautiful New York City skyline melt into the distance. Chloe’s smile broadened when she saw Nikki, the girl who had hated on her in high school, watching from a distance as Trey showered her with affection. Chloe was loving this—being the center of attention, the envy of hating-ass bitches like Nikki. This was something she could definitely get used to.

Meanwhile, Trey thought to himself that he would be as patient as he needed to be. Because he was definitely falling for Chloe Webster.

Chloe got home from her date and found her mother waiting up for her. She smiled, surprised to see Rachel awake at such a late hour. “Hey, Ma.”

“Hey,” Rachel said. “Sit down for a minute.”

Chloe did as she was told, and her mother sighed. “So I think Trey seems like a nice guy. He’s handsome, he’s respectful, polite.”

Chloe folded her arms across her chest. “But . . .”

“But from what Willow is telling me, he’s spending money on you like crazy. Coach sneakers, Tiffany bracelets and necklaces, trips to the hair salon . . . that’s a lot for him to be spending on you, Chloe. You just met the guy.”

Chloe couldn’t believe her ears. “You’re kidding right?”

“No, I’m not kidding at all,” Rachel asserted.

“Ma . . . how much would you say Robert spends on you in a week?”

“Watch it, now, Chloe,” Rachel warned. “Robert and I are grown and—”

“Well, I’m twenty-one, so I’m grown, too.” She met her mother’s gaze. “I understand what you’re saying, Ma. Thanks for your concern. But there’s nothing to worry about.”

“It’s my job to worry about you.” Rachel sighed. “You think you know everything. But don’t be blinded by expensive gifts and wining and dining. That can be deceiving.”

Chloe tried to resist the urge to roll her eyes. “Ma, Trey’s not the boogeyman. He has no tricks up his sleeve. He’s just a nice guy. That’s it.”

“He’s older than you,” Rachel observed.

“And?” Chloe frowned, confused. She didn’t think the age difference between Trey and herself was a big deal at all.

“And,” Rachel said, “I just think that maybe Trey is a little more experienced than you are, and maybe he’s expecting you to be impressed by all the money he lavishes on you. You have to think, Chloe. You’re thinking he’s a nice guy, when all along he could have ulterior motives.”

“Ma, stop.” Chloe sighed in exasperation. “It’s nothing like that. Trey is not that much older than me. And he’s not trying to manipulate me or impress me. He’s just a nice guy. Just like your friend Robert is a nice guy. Okay?”

Chloe got up and went to bed, leaving her mother sitting in silence in the living room. Rachel took a sip of her wine and shook her head. She hoped Chloe knew what she was doing.

_______

Chloe and Dawn stood in front of Kim’s building on Jersey Street and watched the spectacle before them. Chris was embarrassing Kim in front of all the passersby, and Chloe was appalled.

“Don’t worry about where I was last night,” Chris said, looking Kim up and down like she disgusted him. “I keep telling you I ain’t your man. Don’t ask me shit.”

Kim didn’t seem the slightest bit embarrassed. “So stop fucking me like you’re my man, then!” She had her hands on her hips and steam coming out of her ears.

“I’m tired of telling you the same thing over and over. I like you, Kim. Word. I really do. But it ain’t serious with us. I’m not your man, ma. Period.”

“Kim, fuck that nigga!” Chloe had seen and heard enough. This was too much!

“Fuck you, you gold-digging bitch!” Chris shot back. He looked at Kim. “Stop hanging around with bitches like that constantly putting thoughts in your head all the time.”

“Bitch?” Chloe asked, amazed that this bum-ass bastard had the nerve to address her that way.

“Yeah. You heard me, bitch.” Chris walked off, storming up the block and away from Kim and her friends before he had to hurt one of them.

To Chloe’s shock, Kim went after him. “Kim!” Chloe called. “You gonna leave us here to chase his broke ass?” She couldn’t believe it.

“I’ll call you later,” Kim cried over her shoulder, not bothering to so much as glance back at her friends. She continued to chase Chris, calling after him until he finally stopped walking and turned to talk to her.

Chloe and Dawn stood stunned as they watched Kim talk to Chris, seemingly begging and pleading with him. In disgust, the two women walked off toward Chloe’s house. “She’s a stupid bitch!” Chloe lamented to Dawn. “Choosing that asshole over her friends.”

Dawn shook her head. “You can’t tell her shit. She’s one of those chicks who has to learn shit the hard way.”

It was a Sunday afternoon, and Trey was following Chloe around the mall like a puppy follows its owner. He had called her that morning and suggested they get together. Chloe proposed a trip to the mall for some retail therapy, and he had happily agreed. They always did whatever Chloe wanted to do, and she liked it that way. Trey enjoyed her company so much, he never complained.

Most guys hogged conversations, talking about bullshit. Trey was always willing to listen to Chloe, whether it was during their hours-long late-night phone conversations or face-to-face during the times they spent together. He was demonstrative, generous, and attentive. Plus he was new to town, and everywhere they went together, they attracted attention. Trey was uncharted territory for the girls she knew. He was fresh meat—handsome, well-dressed, affectionate, and attentive—and he
only had eyes for Chloe. She couldn’t ask for much more than that. Chloe thought Kim was crazy to believe she didn’t deserve similar treatment herself.

While she looked through a stack of jeans in the Guess store, she glanced up and caught Trey staring at her. She smiled, slightly uneasy, and stopped browsing. “What?” she asked.

Trey was embarrassed that she’d caught him staring at her. He cleared his throat and shyly looked away. “I don’t mean to stare at you,” he said. “Sometimes I can’t help it, ’cause you’re so pretty.” The truth was, she reminded him of someone in his past so much sometimes that he couldn’t help but stare.

Chloe blushed. “A www! That’s so sweet!” She walked around the rack and kissed him deeply. Chloe’s kisses were like liquid sex, and Trey felt his temperature rise as she kissed him. “You make me feel so good, Trey,” she said, her voice dripping seductively.

Trey felt his dick get hard as Chloe’s voice took on a sultry, sexy cadence. She noticed him trying to hide his erection and she laughed. Trey was flustered and appeared to be a bit pissed off as the vein in his temple throbbed. He walked out of the store without another word before any of the other patrons noticed his condition, leaving Chloe standing there alone. She lingered a few moments, hoping he’d come back in so that she could get him to buy the blue jeans she had her eye on. But Trey stood outside the store, waiting. Chloe left the jeans on the shelf and walked out to where Trey stood. He seemed annoyed.

“You mad at me?” she asked. “Did I do something wrong?”

Trey looked her in the eye. He wanted to tell her he was sick
of her teasing him, that he was tired of her leading him on. Trey wanted to have sex with Chloe. But he didn’t want to appear impatient and scare her off. He forced a smile. “You didn’t do anything wrong, sweetheart. I just didn’t want the other women in there laughing at the guy standing by the rack with a hard dick.”

Chloe laughed and linked her arm through his. They passed a store, and Trey stopped short. He noticed a pale yellow pullover sweater in the window and pointed it out to Chloe. “That’s pretty,” he said. “Let me buy it for you.”

Chloe looked at the sweater and then back at Trey. She shook her head and frowned. It was a modest garment, prim and proper. Definitely not her style. “No. Let’s go to Macy’s. I saw a DKNY jacket you can buy for me instead.” She led him by the hand, and Trey followed just as he always did.

T
rey stood in the ferry terminal, scrolling through the images in his camera. Picture after picture of his beloved Chloe appeared, causing him to smile. He was really feeling her. She made him forget so much of the pain in his past—but at the same time, she reminded him of the mother he’d lost when he was just ten years old. The resemblance between them was uncanny. He looked at one picture of Chloe as she emerged from school, backpack slung across one shoulder and the wind in her hair. He couldn’t get enough of her.

He knew that Chloe kept secrets from him, and he was a little bothered by it. He had long suspected that she wasn’t
always out with her friends the way she claimed to be. He wasn’t as dumb as she thought he was. And he wondered how long she would continue to see someone else behind his back. Trey wasn’t seeing anyone else, and he wanted to take his relationship with Chloe to the next level—wanted to make her his and his alone. But he also didn’t want to spook her. They had met only a few months ago, and in the past he had come on too strong in his relationships with women. This time he didn’t want to make the same mistake. Still, it killed him to think of her in another man’s arms. The more he thought about it, the sicker it made him feel.

Meanwhile, Willow had a half day at school and was glad. High school was tough, and as the end of the school year drew closer, she found herself swamped with papers to hand in, tests to take, and one deadline after another. She was relieved to be going home early, with no homework. She couldn’t wait to spend an afternoon on the couch with the remote control.

She entered the ferry terminal and saw that the boat was already loading. She joined the packs of other passengers as they boarded and noticed a guy who looked familiar. It was Trey. She maneuvered through the crowd until she was at his side. “Hey, Trey,” she said. She wondered what he was doing on the ferry so early in the afternoon, since Chloe had said that she and Trey had nearly identical schedules. It was Wednesday, and Chloe didn’t get out of school until around six o’clock. She met Trey at the train, and each Wednesday the two of them went out to dinner after class. So Willow found it somewhat odd that Trey was on the ferry so early in the day.

He didn’t even look at her. She wondered for a moment if he hadn’t heard her over the sound of the crowd. She looked for headphones in his ear. Maybe he had his music turned up so loud that he couldn’t hear her. She smiled again, waved her hand in front of him until she got him to look at her finally. He stared at Willow in silence. “Trey, hi. It’s me, Willow. Chloe’s sister.”

He stared at her blankly, sending a chill up her spine. She waited for him to say something, but he never did. She got no response other than a cold, blank stare that made her so unsettled, she walked ahead of him. She found a seat on the ferry that was not too close to him, but still close enough that she could watch him.

She kept staring at him, wondering if he was indeed her sister’s boyfriend. Maybe she had spoken to the wrong guy. Maybe it wasn’t Trey after all. But as she sat there several feet from where he sat alone staring out at the water, she was sure that it was Trey. He was the same guy Willow and her mother had met in her living room weeks ago, who had said all the right things. And now here he was, acting like he had never met Willow before in his life. He hadn’t said a single word to her, and she was confused. When the ferry docked, she waited for him to get up so that she could follow him. But he never moved from his seat, even as the announcement came on that “all passengers must depart the ferry at this time.” Finally, Willow rose to leave and glanced again in Trey’s direction. He was looking at her, watching her make her exit and staring at her with the same icy glare that he had before.

Willow couldn’t wait for Chloe to get home that night. When she did, Willow was pacing the floor in their bedroom. “What took you so long to get home?” she demanded as soon as Chloe walked in the door. “I’ve been waiting for you all day!”

Chloe frowned. “Why didn’t you just call me? I had my phone with me. What’s wrong with you?”

Willow shook her head. “I wasn’t going to call you while you were with
him
!”