Afterward, Marvin treated everyone to a trip to Atlantic City. Tasha and Angel both had hair appointments in preparation for their graduation party the following night at Kyra’s, and so they declined. But Tash also had a personal mission.
While she was getting her feet done, she dialed Trae’s cell phone. After about six rings he finally picked it up.
“What?”
“Baby, you sound asleep. Where are you?” she asked. “Home in my bed. Where do you think I’m at?”
“Just asking.”
“I’m tired Tash. Where are you?”
“At the salon.”
“Who are you getting fine for?”
“Hopefully, you. I’m ready to beg and plead for your forgive-ness. Are you coming over tonight?”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
“Wasn’t planning on it?” Tasha got indignant. “When do you plan on making time for wifey?”
“Wifey is still in the doghouse.”
“For how long?”
“Until I let her out.” Tasha sucked her teeth and he could pic
ture her neck rolling and anticipated her saying something slick. “Don’t forget tomorrow night is our graduation party.”
“I didn’t forget. What time you want me to pick you up?” “Around eight.”
“A’ight, I’ll be there. Can I go back to sleep now?”
“C’mon, Trae.” She wasn’t about to give up this easy. “Since you’re not coming over tonight, let me meet you somewhere.” “Why?”
“I want to bring you something.” When he didn’t respond she said, “please?”
He laughed, then thought about it. He was ready to take ad-vantage of the situation. “A’ight, let’s do this. We’re gonna be at the Diva Lounge in Montclair. I don’t want you drivin’ up there by yourself. Bring Angel with you.”
“Okay. Love you. And thanks again for my ride.”
“Oh yeah. Why did you scratch up the Beamer like that? I know you did it.”
She didn’t say anything.
“Oh, so now your slick-ass mouth is at a loss for words? You ain’t right Tasha. I’ll talk to you about that. Can a nigga get some sleep?”
“Yes, you can turn off the phone now. I got what I wanted.” “Make sure you bring what I want.”
“Bye, Trae.”
Tasha didn’t even have to beg Angel to go with her to the Diva Lounge. Angel was dying to see Kay again. But Tasha still on her mission scented her body with Trae’s favorite: Escata. She wore a gray skirt and zippered blouse set by Christian Dior, blue crocodile zip shoes with bag to match, and no underwear.
She beeped the horn as she pulled up in front of Angel’s. Angel came out wearing all tan: Gucci dress, sandals, and bag. When she got in Tasha’s ride they looked each other up and down, smiled, then high-fived each other.
“Let’s roll!” Tasha said.
They pulled up in front of the lounge and couldn’t find any parking spots. “This is crazy,” Tasha said. “I’m not gonna walk a mile just to get in a club.”
“Me neither,” said Angel. “Fuck that!” She pulled out her cell phone. “Kaylin, we’re ridin’ around in circles looking for a parking space, but can’t find one.” She smiled at whatever Kay was saying. “Okay,” she said. “We’re in the Benz.”
“What did Kaylin say?” Tash asked, emphasizing his name. “For us to pull up in front of the club and they’ll be out. How do I look?” she asked Tasha for a third time.
“Fine, my sista. Why are you teasing that nigga like that?” Tash asked as she put on the strawberry lip gloss, Trae’s favorite.
“He invited me, remember? I know I can have some fun but, I can’t get serious with Kaylin. Conflict of interest.”
“I can’t tell.” Tasha laughed.
“Roz, I’ve been celibate for almost thirteen months.” “No shit? Has it really been that long?”
“Yup. I hope it ain’t so obvious ... because every time Kaylin touches me my panties get wet. Every time I hear his voice my panties get wet. Najee is moving slow; Kaylin’s not wasting time. I’m not ready to fuck yet, but I want to get fucked. You feel me? All niggas don’t know that when a ho wants to get fucked and she’s playin’ hard to get all he gotta do is know what to say and do the right things and them panties are coming off. All niggas also don’t know that a bitch could have a man, she could even be married, but if the pussy is hot and she feeling vulnerable, if the nigga got enough game, says the right words, does the right thangs, those panties are coming off,” Angel rambled on.
“And your point is?”
“My point? I don’t know what the hell my point is!” They both burst out laughing. “I told you this nigga makes me nervous!”
“Girl, you are silly.”
“Nah, but I’ll play hard to get. But if he says and does the right things these panties are coming off.”
“Angel, he’ll turn your ass out. Then what?”
“I don’t know,” Angel answered sincerely.
“Seriously. Look at me. I reminded Trae that I can get a conspiracy charge for fuckin’ with him. And God forbid if he gets smoked or busted. I put myself practically back in the same situ-ation I just got out of. But what can I say? I’m so gone over this nigga, that I’m scaring myself.”
“So what are you suggesting, O Wise One?” Angel teased.
“Follow your heart, my child,” Tasha teased back, but be careful.” Then she turned her attention to the front door. “Oh my God, look at my baby. He is too fine.” Trae, Kaylin, and another dude were coming toward them. Trae had on unfastened boots, baggy Phat Farm jeans, a doo-rag, and a ripped sleeveless sweatshirt. Kay wore the same, minus the doo-rag, plus a vest. His chest and arms were flexing those huge muscles. He opened the passenger side of the car and lifted Angel out.
She was grinning from ear to ear as they went on inside the club. Trae and the other dude came on the driver’s side. Trae opened up the door. “What up, playa?” he said, lifting her off the seat onto the ground.
“It’s all about you,” she said, reaching into the car and pulling out a dozen roses for him.
“Smooth, Tasha. Real smooth. One of my moves, but still it’s smooth.” He sniffed them and smiled at her. “Omar, this is my woman I told you about, Tasha. Tasha this is my cousin Omar. He’s gonna park the car. How does it ride?”
“It doesn’t ride it sails.”
“Good.”
They went inside the club, where he walked her to the ladies’ room and waited for her to come out. They then went to the bar. “You want something?” he asked her as the waitress looked on.
“I’ve been craving strawberries. Get me a strawberry daiquiri,” she said.
“Make that two virgin strawberry daiquiris.”
“Trae they only have a small amount of alcohol.”
“No alcohol or tobacco. The less you indulge the healthier you’ll be, the longer you’ll live, and the longer you’ll be able to keep your dick hard.”
“I don’t have a dick,” she joked.
“Don’t I know it.” He pulled her close to him, smelling her hair and neck. “You smell so good, my little butterfly.” Then he stood back. “Don’t you have something to say?”
“I knew this was coming. I see that you really want me to beg and grovel.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m so sorry Trae. Please forgive me. I apologize. I love you and I miss you.”
He leaned over and ran his tongue over her strawberry lip gloss. “What about trust, and letting nothing come between us?”
“From here on out, I’ll trust you and let nothing come between us,” she promised.
“Tell me that you’ll always be mine and you’ll never leave me.”
“I’ll always be yours and I’ll never leave you. Anything else Trae?” She kissed him on the neck.
“There is something else. I”
“I’m curious. How long were you planning on keeping me in the doghouse?” she interrupted him.
“As long as it took for you to come beggin’ for forgiveness. Like I said before, what if she lied? Then what? I said you didn’t have to call her and to let it go. That’s what you should have done.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. The waitress set their drinks on the bar. “You haven’t kissed me in a week Trae. I think you’ve been pretty cruel.”
He kissed her and caressed her butt.
“Am I out the dog house now?” she asked.
“Almost. I got something I want you to do.”
Tash looked at him suspiciously. Trae paid for their drinks, grabbed his glass and his roses. He watched Tasha guzzle hers down.
“Damn, baby, I was craving for one of those.”
“I see. You want mines?” She took it from him. When Trae saw one of the bouncers, he gave him a bill and told him to tell the deejay to play Peaches & Cream by 112. He took Tash by the hand.
“What do you want me to do Trae?”
“A brotha wants a lap dance.”
Tasha stopped dead in her tracks. “A what?”
He pulled her along. “You heard me. Can a brother get a lap dance?”
“Trae I know you are playing.”
“Nah, I’m not playin’. I got a table back here.”
“C’mon, Trae,” she whined. “I’m not shaking my ass in front of all these people.”
“You dancin’ for me, not all of these people.”
He sat down at the table. “You want to get out of the dog house, right?” She went to sit down. “Naw, baby.” He set the roses on the chair.
“Don’t sit. When Peaches & Cream come on, I want you to be ready.”
“Can’t I do this at home?” she whined.
“Baby, I want it now!”
“Trae you are so wrong. I’ma do this. But trust me, I’m going to get you back.” She looked around to see how secluded they were. Trae lit his blunt and pulled out a roll of cash.
“That’s right, playa,” she said. “I don’t want nothin’ but hundreds. It’s all about the Benjamin's. You gonna pay for this.” “A’ight. Let’s see what you got!” he challenged.
“It’s on, playa,” she said, tossing her bag next to him and letting her hair down.
“Oh, shit,” Trae said, smiling.
“Bring it on.”
“We gonna do this right Trae. Rules: No touching and no sex in the Champagne Room. Comprende?”
“A’ight.” “Peaches and Cream” was now spinning.
“It’s the T, the R, the A, the E,” Trae sang. “Let’s go Tash. Back that ass up!” Tash was now moving, shaking, and grinding like a professional. “Tash you been holdin’ out on me, baby,” he said, laughing and putting bills in the waist of her skirt. “Go Tasha! Go Tasha!” Then he got on his knees and looked under her skirt. “Dayum!” He reached up and put more money in her waist as her ass pressed against his dick. “This is a private party,” he said to a couple of brothas who were trying to ease over. He shot them a look, and they went away.
“Don’t touch, Trae!” she said, smacking his hands.
“Tash you all up on my dick. What you mean ‘don’t touch’?” he asked, trying to grab her hips again.
“Trae!” she yelled. He laughed, putting more money in her waist.
“Turn around,” he said. She made an exotic turn. “Pull your zipper down on your blouse.”
“That’ll be extra Trae.” He put more money in her waist. She was shaking and grinding as she unzipped her blouse zipper. He leaned up and licked her nipples. Trae grabbed his dick and squeezed it. She zipped it back up. A couple of dudes hollered at Trae, but he ignored them.
“Put your leg up here,” he said, pointing to his thigh.
“That’ll cost ya. Pussy shots are extra.” He put even more money in her waist. She put her foot up in the chair and was poppin’ that coochie. “Don’t touch Trae!” she said, but it was too late. He had already slid two fingers inside her and pulled them out. They looked at each other while he put both fingers in his mouth, pulling them out and running his tongue up, down, and all around them.
He started barking. Tash took her foot down and gave him one more booty shot as she swooped up some hundreds off the floor.
“Put your foot back up here,” Trae begged.
“Record is over, playa,” she said, pulling the money out of her waist. “Can I sit down now after you done fuckin’ embarrassed me?”
“Ma, that was the shit!” he yelled, pulling her down onto his lap. He went to sucking on her neck as she counted her money. It totaled $1,800.00.
“Where’s my tip, playa?” she asked, sipping on the last of his strawberry daiquiri. Tasha burst out laughing as Trae went to emptying all of his pockets. Just then a couple of ladies walked past and rolled their eyes at Tash as she stuffed all that money into her bag.
Trae was still in a daze. “Dayum, you fucked my head up! I can’t believe you been holdin’ out on me, Tash.”
“Trae can I come sit at your table?” some dude hollered. “Nah, man, it ain’t that kind of party.”
“See what you started Trae? Now niggas gonna be looking at me all funny.”
“So?” he whispered, shoving his tongue down her throat. “Mmm, my dick is crying,” he moaned, squeezing it and trying to calm it down. He slapped her thigh and lifted her up. “C’mon.”
“Where are we going?”
“Someplace where I can eat me some peaches and cream.” He stopped at the bar and said something to the bartender, who handed him a couple of clean towels. Then he stopped at the table with Omar and a couple of other brothers, one of whom tossed him some keys.
They walked up and he stuck the keys into a silver Hummer with tinted windows. The inside smelled brand new. Then, climbing in the back and locking the doors, he said, “Let’s see what he got in his CD player.” Trae reached over the seat and stuck the key in the ignition to open the CD changer.
“Ginuwine, Mos Def, Jesse Powell, KC & Jo Jo. Baby, which one?”
“Nice selection. Light it up. Let me hear one cut from Mos Def, then put it on random.”
“A’ight. It’s your world.”
“Is it really?”
“You ain’t know?” he asked, turning up “Umi Says” and pulling a half blunt and lighter out of his back pocket. He took a couple of hits to the chest and passed it to her. He pulled off his shirt and threw it on the front seat. He then put both of her legs across his lap and took off her crocodile zip shoes, setting them on the front seat. She put the blunt out as he rubbed her legs and feet up and down. He pulled her up onto his lap. She untied his doo-rag and threw it over the front seat as he unzipped her blouse and slipped it off. Her nipples were already hard as he rolled them between his teeth and played with her pussy until she was ready to come.
“Give me a kiss,” he said, unzipping her skirt. She was breathing very hard as she sucked on his tongue and his lips. He pulled her skirt off and tossed it onto the front seat, opening his towel and putting it on his lap.