“And me.” Mr. Strong’s words surprised me.
Jones stood from the sofa. “And I told them I won’t.” He crossed the room.
I looked at all the men in the room, all the men who had become family to me in the last few years. I had grown up in a family of women with an overabundance of feminine energy. I loved the difference in the male energy, but I could never let them know it, so I turned up my nose and moved my gaze to Jones. “That must’ve been so cringe.”
Everybody laughed, including Jones.
I grabbed his hand. “Let’s get out of here before they start up again.”
Jones let me lead him to the back deck. I wanted to laugh at myself because our mom’s back deck was where Bailey and Bright used to hang out when they were courting. It was like I was keeping up a tradition or something.
Jones took in the view of the mountains. “Damn, the view is dope.”
“It is,” I agreed. “I wish I had more of a view.”
“Now that I’ve seen this, I think I’ma have to rethink the location of the land I want to buy. Make sure I get something peaceful to look at whenever I’m trying to chill.” We were both quiet for a little bit. “Lex and I decided to treat ourselves to a football game for our birthdays. Looked online and saw that the Vipers are playing next Sunday.”
“The Vipers?” I repeated. “That’s your team?”
“Yeah. They’re having a good-ass season. They’re six and zero. We figure we better go see them before the streak ends.”
“Who are they playing? The Portland Pioneers?” I figured that the team from Virginia had to be playing somewhere close for him and Lex to be considering going.
He gave me a sheepish look. “Nah. They’re playing the Coyotes.”
My eyes widened. “The Chicago Coyotes?”
He smiled as he nodded.
“And they’re playing in . . .” I felt like I wasn’t following what he was telling me.
“They’re playing in Virginia Shore. Me and Lex are gonna fly out for the game. He’s talking about bringing Mari with him.” He shook his head. “I told him that I’m not tryna be no third wheel at my own birthday shit. So, I’m wondering if you wanna roll.”
I stared at him silently for a few seconds. “Jonah Sumners.”
He grinned at me calling him by his entire government. “What’s up?”
“If you really want me to go, you know you need to ask me in a better way than that. What? You trying to get me to go as the homie? Or are you trying to get me to go as?—”
He cut me off. “Miss Church, would you consider hanging out with me on this birthday trip? It would be my honor and my pleasure to spend time with you like that.”
I wanted to smile because he was so damn fine, and when he humbled himself, he was even finer. “Who’s paying for this birthday parlay?”
“I’m covering you, sweetheart. All you need to bring is you.”
“Wait. Aren’t you in the process of buying property? You know you can’t make any big purchases when you’re trying to buy property. Plane tickets. Hotel stays. You sure about this?”
He winked at me. “Look at you.” He leaned in close, his mouth right beside my ear. “I haven’t even given you the dick, and you’re already trying to take care of me.”
“Shut up.” I pushed him away like I was annoyed. Really, I was turned on. The way his mouth felt covering my vagina, and his tongue lapping at my clit . . . I could still remember every sensation.
“Nah, for real. I’m on it. I got this. You up for taking a trip to the East Coast with me?”
InnerChurchwisely reminded me that I was supposed to be staying away from Jonah Sumners.HoChurchtold her to shuther cock-blocking ass up. I was about to get some dick in a different time zone. Yes, please. “Yeah.”
After dinner,Jones followed me home. At some point, we’d come to the mutual decision that we needed to continue the evening without the rest of our families. In my kitchen, he backed me up against the island, wrapped me in his arms, and buried his face in my neck.
“Stop,” I half giggled, half whined.